New Delhi

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “panicking” over the Adani indictment in the United States and the Epstein files, and avoiding addressing the House even as the country faces reports of an LPG shortage amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Gandhi said the prime minister was urging the country not to panic while he himself was avoiding discussion in the Lok Sabha.

“The PM is saying there is no need to panic. But the PM himself is panicked for completely different reasons. He is panicked because of the Adani case, Epstein. He is not able to come inside the House. He is telling the country not to panic, when he himself is panicked,” Gandhi said.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders continued protests in the Parliament complex over reports of a nationwide shortage of LPG cylinders. Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc have demanded a discussion on the issue, linking the supply disruption to the escalating conflict in West Asia.

The reported shortage has affected several regions. In Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, some restaurants have shifted to induction cooking to keep operations running as tensions disrupt global energy supply chains and shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Restaurant owner Dolraj Gaire said the establishment was trying to cope with the situation using induction-based cooking.

“We are trying to make it work in induction. We have already done about 60 per cent of our work in induction, and the remaining 10–20 per cent will be solved in a couple of days once we get induction. Our entire commercial production is in induction,” he said.

The Centre, meanwhile, said domestic LPG production has been increased by around 25 per cent and that the entire domestic output is being directed toward household consumers.

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According to the government, supplies of non-domestic LPG are being prioritised for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.