Hyderabad, March 24 (IANS) Amid the ongoing war in West Asia and the global fuel shortage, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislators on Tuesday staged a protest over cooking gas shortage in Telangana and demanded that the Centre and state take concrete measures to resolve the gas shortage.

BRS MLAs and MLCs held a protest at Gun Park near the Assembly building, blaming both the Central and State governments for the shortage.

Holding placards depicting gas cylinders, the legislators led by BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao expressed their deep concern regarding the soaring prices.

Following the demonstration, the BRS MLAs and MLCs proceeded toward the Assembly holding placards and raising slogans.

They demanded that both the Central and State governments reveal the truth to the public regarding the issue of gas supply.

The MLAs and MLCs expressed anguish over the fact that, while the governments claim there is no shortage, they have simultaneously halted gas supplies to hotels and small-scale vendors.

They stated that this situation has severely disrupted the livelihoods of the general public, small-scale vendors, and the hundreds of thousands of people who depend on the hotel industry for their livelihood.

They urged the State government to respond immediately to the prevailing gas supply crisis in Telangana and to disclose the facts to the people.

The legislators appealed to the government to utilise every available avenue to ramp up gas supplies.

Talking to media persons, K.T. Rama Rao said that people are facing hardships due to an LPG shortage that has emerged since the outbreak of the war.

“The Central government is trying to convince the public that no such shortage exists. However, at the ground level, the gas shortage is severe,” he said.

The BRS leader said the State government maintains that it is powerless to act, citing that the Petroleum Department falls under the jurisdiction of the Centre

“There are apprehensions that the size of gas cylinders might be reduced in the future. It is being said that the standard 14-kilogram gas cylinder will be downsized to 10 kilograms. Both the Central and State governments are causing distress to the common people,” he claimed.

He remarked that the plight of the common man is akin to calves getting trampled during a fight between bulls.

The Centre claims there is no shortage, while the State claims there is no supply. Both are misleading the public, he alleged and demanded that the Centre take concrete measures to resolve the gas shortage.

The government should issue a statement to reassure the public and prevent any further hardships arising from the gas shortage, he added.

–IANS

ms/rad