Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), March 14 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister, Keshav Prasad Maurya, on Saturday, lashed out at Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi, and Samajwadi Party President, Akhilesh Yadav, for their statements on the LPG cylinder issue, asking them to send measured messages.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Prayagraj, Maurya said, “I have started calling Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi by the names ‘Afwaah Yadav’ and ‘Afwaah Gandhi’ from yesterday.”

“They are spreading rumours and misleading the public,” he claimed.

He further added, “At a time of global crisis, a responsible politician should send measured messages, showing that if the country faces any danger, we all face it together. But this is not even a crisis.”

He claimed that earlier there used to be bookings for 50-55 lakh gas cylinders daily and now this spread of misinformation has caused panic among people due to which cylinder bookings had surpassed 55 lakh.

The UP Deputy CM said, “Spreading of misinformation is a propaganda and dirty politics. I condemn such things and both leaders should refrain from this.”

Maurya’s comments followed LoP Gandhi’s speech in the Lok Sabha where he raised the issue of LPG shortages hitting the hotel industry, in the wake of the West Asia crisis and claimed that this was the “beginning of pain” that will only aggravate in days to come.

“The pain has just started. Restaurants are closing, there is widespread panic about LPG, street vendors are affected, and as I said, this is only the beginning,” the Lok Sabha LoP had said.

Addressing the media on the LPG issue, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, on Friday, said, “LPG is ‘Lapata Gas’. We don’t have cylinders because of which people are facing difficulties in weddings, at various kitchens and elsewhere. People are now gathering cow dungs, wood etc.”

Expressing dissatisfaction with the functioning of the government, Yadav further said, “It is the government’s responsibility to look into this, especially when it calls itself ‘double engine ki sarkar’. During the Covid pandemic and demonitisation, people had to stand in queues, and now people have to wait in queues for LPG cylinders.”

Accusing the BJP government of trying to gain profit in times of war and crisis, he said, “The government itself is spreading rumours. People are not able to book cylinders online. Instead of arranging for LPG cylinders and assuring the citizens, the government has increased the minimum waiting period for booking a domestic LPG cylinder.”

–IANS

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