Mumbai, March 17 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Tuesday criticised the BJP-led government at the Centre and in Maharashtra over the ‘interruption’ in LPG supplies amid the Iran-Israel war, saying that while global fuel crises are a reality, the government’s refusal to acknowledge the hardship of its citizens is a failure of leadership.

“During the pandemic, the public was asked to bang plates and pots to drive away the virus… is the public expected to bring empty cylinders to the streets and beat them to solve the fuel crisis?” said the Thackeray camp in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’.

The editorial said, “As India grapples with a severe fuel and LPG shortage, the ruling government faces intense criticism for downplaying the crisis. While citizens stand in kilometre-long queues for basic necessities, official spokespersons continue to claim that ‘all is well’, a stance the opposition labels as a ‘social crime’. Across Mumbai and the rest of the country, the reality on the ground contradicts official statements.”

It further stated that there have been “massive queues” for domestic cylinders, which have become a common sight, with people waiting from late night into the morning. “Approximately 40 per cent of eateries, restaurants, and food stalls have been forced to close due to the lack of fuel. Gas cylinders are being sold on the black market for as much as Rs 5,000. Even sacred institutions are feeling the pinch; in Shirdi, the Sai Baba Sansthan has been forced to reduce the size of its ‘prasad (devotional food)’ due to the shortage,” the party claimed.

The editorial said the shortage has escalated into a security issue in several states. In Madhya Pradesh, armed police protection has been deployed to guard gas godowns and agencies. In Rajasthan, trucks and tempos transporting cylinders are reportedly being intercepted on the roads. Ironically, even in the Prime Minister’s constituency of Varanasi (Kashi), the ‘Maa Annapurna Rasoi’ (community kitchen) was forced to shut down due to the scarcity.

Sharpening the attack, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena slammed the BJP-led government for its “confused” handling of the situation.

“While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis maintains that the situation is under control, the government has simultaneously issued orders asking those with piped gas to return their LPG connections — a move seen as an admission of a fuel emergency. Furthermore, the government’s decision to prioritise gas supply for hospitals, crematoriums, and educational institutions is being viewed as ‘sealing the fact’ that a massive shortage exists,” it said.

“Those rulers who cannot take the people into confidence and tell them the truth prove to be ineffective in running a nation. This is exactly what is happening in India,” it claimed.

–IANS

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