Congress MLAs protest outside Gujarat Assembly over LPG, natural gas shortage

Congress legislators staged a protest on the steps of the Gujarat Assembly in Gandhinagar on Wednesday over the alleged shortage of LPG cylinders and natural gas, raising concerns about the situation affecting consumers across the country and the state.

Around a dozen Congress MLAs gathered at the Assembly premises holding posters and symbolic LPG cylinder props while raising slogans to highlight the issue.

The protest was led by Dr Tushar Chaudhary and Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda, who said the demonstration was meant to draw attention to the growing concerns over gas availability and to raise the issue during the ongoing Assembly session.

During the protest, Congress MLA Amrutji Thakor was reportedly stopped by police personnel while moving towards the steps, following which he fell and a brief verbal altercation took place between him and the police.

The demonstration came a day after opposition MPs in New Delhi also staged protests over the LPG and natural gas situation.

According to reports, India is currently facing a tightening LPG supply, largely due to disruptions in imports linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has affected both domestic and commercial consumers. The Centre has directed states to maintain strict monitoring to prevent black-marketing while trying to keep domestic cylinder prices under control. However, delays in bookings and longer waiting periods for refills have been reported in several areas.

In Gujarat, the state government has reportedly formed a special committee to coordinate with the Centre and explore additional import sources, including supplies from West Africa and the United States, to stabilise the situation. Authorities have also appealed to citizens to avoid panic buying and unnecessary hoarding.

Notably, state cabinet minister Rushikesh Patel had said three days ago that the LPG situation in Gujarat was under control. However, the opposition’s protest during the Assembly session indicates growing political concern over the issue.