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Following a fresh hike in prices of LPG cylinders and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) due to the West Asia conflict, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Central government, questioning their assurances regarding fuel stability, claiming that it's far removed from the ground reality.
Speaking to ANI, Yadav alleged that hotels and petrol pumps are closing due to the LPG shortage despite the government's statements about no crisis. "But the government said that there is no shortage in gas, petrol, diesel or any kind of fuel. Petrol pumps and hotels are closing. It's hard to gather anything to eat," he said. This comes after the prices of LPG cylinders have been revised upward with effect from April 1, with commercial and smaller cylinders witnessing a significant increase across key cities. In Delhi, the price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder has been increased to Rs 2,078.50, marking a rise of Rs 195.50. Meanwhile, the 5 kg FTL cylinder is now priced at Rs 549 per refill, reflecting an increase of Rs 51, sources said. Along with this, ATF prices across major metro cities have risen notably. In Delhi, prices increased to Rs 1,04,927 per kilolitre from Rs 96,638.14 in March. Kolkata saw a jump to Rs 1,09,450 from Rs 99,587.14, while Mumbai's rates rose to Rs 98,247 from Rs 90,451.87. In Chennai, ATF is now priced at Rs 1,09,873 compared to Rs 1,00,280.49 last month, according to the revised rates effective April 1, 2026. Yadav also criticised the government's broader legislative approach, claiming that bills under the current regime favour corporate interests over public welfare. "Every bill that this government has brought so far has been against the people of the country. Every bill that has been brought till now has been in favour of some capitalists. Not a single bill has been in the interest of the people," he said. He dismissed the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment (FCRA) Bill, 2026, as a ploy to collect a massive sum from the public in the name of welfare. "They will collect money from the people in the name of regulation. What else do they do?" he alleged. Today, in the Lok Sabha, a significant focus will be on the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, moved by Home Minister Amit Shah, which seeks to further amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. The legislation aims to enhance transparency in the receipt and utilisation of foreign funds by organisations and ease compliance procedures for registered entities. Meanwhile, SP MP Rajeev Rai took a swipe at the government's policy approach during the price surge, remarking, "Yeh aapda me avsar dhundhne wali sarkar hai" (This is a government that looks for opportunities in a disaster). The opposition suggested that the timing of these hikes is strategically managed, with Yadav advising citizens to "just wait for elections to be over" to see the full extent of the government's fiscal "functioning." Congress MP Rajani Patil highlighted the immediate impact on Indian households, noting that domestic cylinder prices had already climbed by Rs 60 since the start of the recent global conflicts. "Even the price of a domestic cylinder was raised by Rs 60 at the beginning of this conflict. Our leader, Rahul Gandhi, has been saying that a big earthquake is coming. The issue of gas affects all households, hotels, etc," she said. (ANI)
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