Opposition’s ‘we want LPG’ protest disrupts Lok Sabha

Opposition parties on Friday (March 13, 2026) protested inside, and outside, the Lok Sabha over the LPG ‘crisis’, leading to repeated adjournments.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned almost after proceedings began at 11 a.m. as the Opposition raised slogans over the alleged shortage of cooking gas cylinders. When the House reassembled at noon, Opposition members trooped to the well and protested against the government and the increase in the price of LPG amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

LPG and oil crisis updates on March 13, 2026

After the laying of papers, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised the Congress for the protests and targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. He said the Congress leadership was refusing to understand the pulse of the people and warned that the public would “punish” the party if it continued to behave in such a manner.

“Their leader [Mr. Gandhi] is refusing to change. Now the members are also behaving like him. Their leader is indulging in drama on Parliament premises by holding plate and glass. They think that by doing such theatrics they will be able to draw the attention of the people. But people know them very well, that is why they have not been able to come to power,” Mr. Rijiju said.

Expressing disappointment over the conduct of the Congress, the Minister said no one in the party could make Mr. Gandhi “see logic”. “Still there is time to change, otherwise the people of the country will punish you severely,” he added.

As Opposition members continued to protest, the Chair adjourned the proceedings till 2 p.m. When the Lok Sabha reconvened, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman replied to the earlier debate on the supplementary demand for grants amid constant sloganeering by Opposition members who kept shouting, “we want LPG”.

Outside Parliament, several Opposition MPs protested with cutouts of LPG cylinders, demanding that the Centre present a clear roadmap to address the ‘shortage’ and rising prices.

Congress leader K. C. Venugopal, who joined the protests, later said on X, “The LPG crisis is mounting day by day, and the Centre is taking no concrete steps to address this, beyond empty platitudes. Joined the protest of Opposition MPs demanding a clear roadmap for the Centre to address the widespread panic among the people about this LPG shortage.”