AAP leader Sanjay Singh said there are 21 lakh LPG connections in rural areas. File | Photo credit: ANI
On the second day of debate in the Rajya Sabha on the work of the Ministry of Rural Development on Wednesday (March 11, 2026), the opposition parties took up issues like shortage of cooking gas and fuel across the country, especially in rural areas. The MPs alleged that the Narendra Modi government’s foreign policy had led to such a situation and sought immediate intervention to resolve the crisis.
CPI(M) member V Sivadasan said the government has reduced subsidies for solar and wind power and forced people to use LPG connections through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojanascheme. “Now, after the US aggression against Iran, the price of LPG is skyrocketing,” he said. He added that although Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a friend of United States President Donald Trump, people in India are not taking advantage of it. “Thousands of hotels in rural India have been closed. Women are crying,” Mr Sivadasan said.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh said there are 21 lakh LPG connections in rural areas. “I want to ask you, in the Middle East war between US-Israel and Iran, why are you pandering to Israel, as a result of which India has to suffer from gas shortage?” he asked. Demanding a separate discussion on the issue, he said that the entire country, be it villages, towns or every locality, is standing in queues. Referring to the closure of tile factories in Gujarat due to gas shortage, he said, “Where is the Prime Minister of the country hiding when the nation is facing a gas crisis? Please bring him out… The whole country is queuing up for gas and the Prime Minister is hiding.”
DMK leader Tiruchi Siva too asked for a separate discussion on the impact of the war on Iran. He said the situation has a huge impact on fuel supplies, especially natural gas and cooking gas. “Each state is calling urgent meetings on how to deal with these problems. Restaurants are closing due to gas shortages. Prices are rising and homemakers are suffering. Isn’t it too important for Parliament to discuss this? We are very sad,” Mr Siva said. “We don’t know what will happen…how an economic recession that occurs in some other country will affect the rest of the world,” he said, adding that the fuel crisis would hit rural life the hardest.
Published – 11 March 2026 21:52 IST
