With their no-confidence resolution against Speaker Om Birla defeated in the Lok Sabha Wednesday, the Congress and other Opposition parties are now making preparations to go after the BJP-led NDA government over the intensifying energy crisis, marked with shortages of oil and gas, amid the raging conflict between US-Israel and Iran besides the war’s fallout for the Indian diaspora in West Asia.
In his meetings with Congress MPs, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been insisting that the party should focus on “the foreign policy and energy security failures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government”.
Predicting that the West Asia crisis would have a deeper impact on people’s lives — be it price rise, cooking gas or fuel crisis, and a spike in airfares — Gandhi also wants his party to target the government for “bowing to the pressure of the US”. The LoP has urged Opposition leaders from across the country to “keep the pressure on the government” over these issues, sources said.
With West Asia being the source of a significant portion of India’s energy imports, the crisis in the region after the US-Israel war on Iran has disrupted supply chains, leading to an LPG crisis, creating a commercial LPG shortage and a spike in airfares after various airlines announced fuel surcharges.
The Congress MPs, along with the MPs from allies DMK, Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Left parties, have disrupted proceedings in Parliament, prompting abrupt adjournments on Monday and Tuesday while raising slogans against the government over the LPG shortage.
According to Congress leaders, the Opposition raised the LPG crisis when the House met after recess Monday, when time was originally allotted for the no-confidence resolution against the Speaker, because of the “seriousness of the issue”. On Monday, the Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned without transacting major business. “The crisis is so big, serious and affects everyone’s daily life that we had to keep everything aside and raise the issue,” said a senior Opposition leader.
On Wednesday, the House was adjourned for half an hour during Question Hour, with Opposition members raising slogans like “We want LPG.” They also carried placards that read “India needs leadership, not silence”, “India needs a leader, not a silent follower”, and “national security = energy security: Modiji, why are you silent?”
As soon as the Lower House met for the day, Opposition members raised various issues and shouted slogans. When it was Congress member Kumari Selja’s turn to ask a question, she merely remarked that the government should first reduce LPG prices.
Sources said the Opposition would take on the government by flagging the deepening energy crisis when Parliament resumes on Thursday. The Opposition MPs are also expected to submit notices for adjournment motions and Zero Hour mentions to demand a thorough discussion on the issue. Speaking to The Indian Express, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari said the Opposition will insist on having the issue discussed in Parliament.
According to Tewari, the government has not been able to explain why there is panic over energy prices. Pointing out that crude oil prices have come down from $120 to $90 in the last two days, Tewari said: “The supply that is currently in the market would have been contracted 60 days ago. There is no need for the government to press the panic button and invoke the Essential Commodities Act, while airlines start charging a surcharge, etc. Either the government is not being truthful with the nation and your strategic requirement is not 75 days, which is the statutory requirement. Otherwise, the conduct of the government is completely knee-jerk or they are in panic mode.”
Tewari said, “That’s why we insist on a threadbare discussion on the situation in West Asia or the larger Middle East, and its implications for India’s energy security. It’s not just crude oil; a bulk of your fertiliser also comes through the Strait of Hormuz. What about the Indian diaspora? We will insist on a discussion.”
The CPI(M) leader in the Rajya Sabha, John Brittas, said the war in West Asia has “entered the households” in India. “The war has entered households here because of the criminal negligence and silence of this government. The government has been misguiding the nation over the stock — that we have sufficient to meet the exigency. Secondly, this government should have persuaded other nations to ensure that the war was prevented. At least some attempts should have been made. Instead, the government is seen as a cheerleader to the warmongers. This is the predicament that has fallen upon the nation.”
He also said the Opposition parties will target the government on the issue on the floor of the House.
