Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, flagged the issue of LPG shortages hitting the hotel industry, in the wake of West Asia crisis and claimed that this was the "beginning of pain" that will only aggravate in days to come.
Speaking in Lok Sabha over 'LPG crisis', the Congress MP took potshots at the Union government over its alleged surrender to the US administration's diktats and asked how could the US President Donald Trump decide "from where and from whom India makes its oil purchases".
Rahul Handhi reiterated his 'compromise' charge, holding it to be the key reason for petrol and LPG shortages in the country. These claims were subsequently countered by the Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who declared that the country's oil reserves were full and there was no looming crisis before the country.
LoP Rahul Gandhi, while speaking on the West Asia crisis, said the US-Israel and Iran war will have far-reaching consequences for everyone, including India, and it has started becoming evident. "The central artery through which 20 per cent of the global oil flows, the Strait of Hormuz, has been closed.
And this is going to have tremendous repercussions, particularly for us (India), because a very large portion of our oil and natural gas comes through the Strait of Hormuz." "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 added.
Questioning United States' 'interference' in India's petroleum pacts, LoP Rahul Gandhi asked "how could a third nation decide who we buy oil from, whether we can buy oil from Russia or not, and whether our relationships with different oil suppliers can be decided by us -- this is what has been bartered".
He went to add that this issue puzzled and perplexed him for long, however, he has now understood it and such 'capitulation' is because of India compromising its interests. "It is a very puzzling fact why a nation the size of India would allow any other nation, or the President of another nation, to give us permission to buy Russian oil and decide who our relationships are with."
"I have figured the puzzle out, and the puzzle is about compromise," the Lok Sabha LoP said. The LoP's mention of Epstein however did raise eyebrows as well as the hackles of the ruling Treasury benches. While cornering the Central government on the LPG issue, Rahul Gandhi said that the Union Petroleum Minister has admitted on record that he had relations with Jeffrey Epstein.
This prompted Speaker Om Birla to intervene. Outside the Parliament, a couple of Bharatiya Janata Party MPs demanded that the Congress MP Rahul Gandhi be penalised for violating the parliamentary protocols and raking up the Epstein issue despite the latter having no connection with the issue.