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Punjab assembly passes resolution slamming Centre over LPG shortage
Punjab assembly passed a resolution blaming the Union government's foreign policy for India's energy crisis, citing LPG shortages and rising prices.
The Punjab assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution stating that the failure of the Union government’s foreign policy is having an adverse impact on the country’s energy security.
The resolution was moved by food and civil supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Wednesday.
Resuming the debate on the resolution in vidhan sabha on Thursday, Kataruchak said, “The Iran–US–Israel war has resulted in the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, which has caused an unprecedented shortage of LPG and oil in India, leading to harrowing inconvenience for the people.”
The treasury and opposition benches, excluding two BJP MLAs who were not in the House, blamed the ‘wrong policies’ of the BJP-led government for the LPG situation.
According to the resolution, the war between Iran, Israel and the US is delivering a major shock to the Indian economy.
“People of India are continuously facing an LPG shortage. On one hand, the Centre is giving false assurances, but on the other, it has significantly increased LPG prices,” the resolution read. The price of a 14-kg domestic cylinder has been increased by ₹60 and that of a commercial cylinder by ₹115, which in itself indicates that the shortage is quite severe, it said.
It said the National Restaurant Association, which represents more than 5 lakh restaurants across the country, has warned that if the LPG supply is not normalised within the next 72 hours, restaurants may be forced to shut down. This will impact people who are travelling and rely on roadside eateries for tea and meals. Those who are away from home may face great inconvenience, the resolution said.
Echoing similar sentiments, education minister Harjot Singh Bains said that the Centre’s directionless foreign policy has weakened India’s global standing and pushed the country into diplomatic isolation.
“Similar circumstances were witnessed during Operation Sindoor as well,” Bains said, pointing out that the energy crisis has begun affecting social life across the country.
“The crisis will adversely affect the hotel and tourism industry and cast a shadow over the wedding season,” Bains added.
Cabinet ministers Tarunpreet Singh Sond and Hardeep Singh Mundian, along with MLAs Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Gurinder Singh Garry Warring and others, also expressed similar views during the discussion and supported the resolution in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
Supporting the resolution, leader of opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, expressed apprehension over a hike in fuel prices in the near future.
“For decades, India maintained strong and balanced relations with countries across West Asia, including Iran, which helped secure the country’s energy interests. Unfortunately, the present government has weakened that balanced approach. India today finds itself diplomatically isolated in a region that is crucial for our energy security. Instead of maintaining strategic autonomy and acting in the national interest, the Modi government appears to have sacrificed long-standing relationships just to please the United States and Israel,” Bajwa said.
Speaking on the resolution, minister Aman Arora questioned the PM Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Israel and said that India’s LPG import dependence has risen from 45% in 2014 to a staggering 66% in 2025. “This is their ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’! Production is falling, consumption is skyrocketing, and they talk of self-reliance. This is not self-reliance; this is dependency deepening by the day.”
Speaking on resolution finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, “The Union government has repeatedly bowed to US pressure, making India look weak on the global stage. The prolonged silence of the BJP leadership on critical international issues raises serious concerns.”
