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2 min readMar 12, 2026 02:18 PM IST
Rahul Gandhi said India’s energy security has been compromised amid the emerging fuel crisis. (Sansad TV via PTI Photo)
After being denied an opportunity to speak in the Lok Sabha on the fuel crisis due to the escalating conflict in West Asia, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that the government seems to have started a new procedure under which a minister decides when he can speak.
“Normally, there is a procedure where you can ask to speak. I had asked to be allowed to make a statement about the situation in the country regarding LPG, gas, and oil. This is just the beginning, and I wanted to speak about it, but a new procedure seems to have started, a minister will decide first, then I will speak, and then the minister will reply. So let’s see what happens,” Gandhi said, speaking to reporters after the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm.
He added that the “basic issue” is that gas is going to be a problem, petrol is going to be a problem, all fuel is going to be a problem “because our energy security has been compromised”.
“A flawed foreign policy has created this problem. Now, what needs to be done is preparation. The government and the PM should start preparing immediately because if preparations are not made, crores of people could suffer,” the Congress leader said.
Gandhi’s remarks come a day after Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan held a meeting with chief secretaries and DGPs of all states and Union Territories to assess preparedness and ensure uninterrupted domestic LPG supply.
Earlier on Thursday, Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “is in panic”. Referring to the fuel crisis, he said: “The PM is saying that there is no need to panic. But the PM himself is panicked for completely different reasons.” Gandhi alleged that Modi “is panicked because of the Adani case, Epstein files”.
“He is not able to come inside the House. He is telling the country not to panic, when he himself is panicked,” the Congress leader said.
Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More
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