Oppn parties slam Centre, demand immediate rollback of rate
New Delhi: The price of commercial LPG was hiked by the steepest ever Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder on Friday, marking the third straight monthly increase due to rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
A 19-kg commercial LPG – used by establishments such as hotels and restaurants – now costs a record Rs 3,071.5 in Delhi as against Rs 2,078.50 previously.
The steep hike in the price of commercial LPG triggered criticisms by Opposition parties and others who demanded immediate rollback of the price.
Rates were last increased by 195.50 per cylinder on April 1. Prior to that, prices had gone up by Rs 114.5 per 19-kg cylinder on March 1.
In three increases, commercial LPG rates have gone up by Rs 1,303.
Prices of domestic cooking gas LPG – the one used in household kitchens – remained unchanged. Domestic LPG rates were last hiked by Rs 60 per 14.2-kg cylinder on March 7. It costs Rs 913 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi.
State-owned Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum revise ATF and LPG prices on the first day of every month based on international benchmarks and the exchange rate. Global oil prices have shot up almost 50 per cent after the war in West Asia disrupted energy supply chains.
Petrol and diesel prices continue to remain frozen after a Rs 2 per-litre reduction in March last year; petrol currently costs Rs 94.72 per litre in Delhi and diesel Rs 87.62.
The Congress on Friday attacked the Modi government over the hike in price of commercial LPG cylinder, with Rahul Gandhi saying this is an “election bill” and the next “strike” will be on petrol and diesel.
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said he had warned that the heat of inflation would strike after the elections.
“Today, commercial gas cylinders have become Rs 993 more expensive. This marks the single largest hike in a single day. This is an election bill,” Gandhi said in his post in Hindi on X.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also flayed the Centre for the steep hike and termed it a failure of the Union government’s assurances on inflation and price stability.
Kharge said Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to say that prices would not be increased and spoke about controlling inflation. “Today, I am seeing the reality. It seems he is unable to do what he said,” he told reporters in Kalaburagi.
He also slammed people for still backing Modi.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah came down heavily on the Centre.
In a post on ‘X’, he said as the Congress warned all along, the moment Assembly elections got over, the Modi government has hiked prices again.
“This is not governance – this is organised looting,” Siddaramaiah alleged.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin demanded that the Centre immediately rollback the hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices.
In his social media X platform, the DMK chief alleged that as predicted before the polls, the BJP-led Union government has raised LPG prices immediately after the elections concluded.
“When global crude oil prices fell, the benefits were not passed on to the people, “ he said, accusing the Centre of “using the West Asia war crisis as an excuse to raise the prices without regard for public welfare”.
The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association on Friday announced a statewide protest strike on May 6 against the hike in commercial LPG cylinder prices.
KHRA state president, G Jayapal, said all hotels and restaurants across Kerala would remain shut on the day in protest against what he termed as an “unfair” increase in LPG prices.
He said the price of a commercial LPG cylinder was hiked by Rs 993 on Friday.
“In the last five months, the price of a single cylinder has increased by a total of Rs 1,498,” he said.
The Andhra Pradesh Star Hotels Association said the steep hike in commercial cooking gas cylinder prices has dealt a severe blow to the hospitality industry, leaving restaurants and hotels with no option but to raise menu prices by 10 per cent.
