UP Gas Shortage: Viral Videos Spark Political Face-off

New Delhi, March 12, 2026: In a sharp political offensive, the Indian National Congress has intensified its criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over an emerging cooking gas crisis in Uttar Pradesh. The opposition’s attack comes as viral videos flood social media, showing distraught citizens—including elderly women and daily wage earners—standing in serpentine queues outside LPG godowns for hours, and in some cases, since midnight.

A Crisis in the Kitchen: Congress Slams “Governance Failure”

The Uttar Pradesh Congress unit, led by President Ajay Rai, has accused the state and central governments of abandoning the public. Highlighting reports from districts like Shravasti, Prayagraj, and Sant Kabir Nagar, Rai pointed to heart-wrenching footage of a woman fainting while waiting in line as a “slap in the face” of the government’s claims.

“The images of our mothers and sisters jostling in long lines, hungry and thirsty for a single cylinder, reveal a complete breakdown of the distribution system,” Rai stated. He further compared the current situation to the “mismanagement” seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, alleging that the government remains “asleep” while the public fends for itself.

Supply Chain Strains and Global Tensions

The shortage, which has hit both domestic and commercial consumers, is being attributed to a combination of geopolitical factors and local panic.

• West Asia Conflict: Escalating tensions between Iran, Israel, and the U.S. have disrupted maritime lifelines like the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of India’s LPG imports pass.
• Policy Shifts: To prevent hoarding, the government recently implemented a 25-day inter-booking period for domestic refills. However, this has inadvertently triggered a wave of “panic booking,” with consumers rushing to secure cylinders ahead of potential price hikes or further shortages.
• Commercial Crunch: While the Centre has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to prioritize domestic supply, commercial gas delivery has faced an unofficial halt. This has left the hospitality sector in UP—particularly small eateries and dhabas—struggling to keep their kitchens open.

The War of Words

The Congress party has rejected the government’s explanation that the crisis is purely “rumor-driven.” Senior leaders, including KC Venugopal and Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba, alleged that the government is “lying” about the extent of the shortage. They claimed that the administration’s dependency on shifting global alliances and a lack of energy security planning have left the common man vulnerable.

In response, the BJP-led administration and district officials in cities like Lucknow and Meerut have urged calm. They maintain that the state has sufficient stock for the next 25 days and that the “artificial crisis” is the result of server delays caused by thousands of simultaneous booking attempts.

Current Status in Uttar Pradesh (as of March 12, 2026):

| Feature | Status |

| :— | :— |

| Domestic Booking | Restricted to a 25-day gap between refills. |

| Delivery Time | Extended from 48 hours to over 7–10 days in some districts. |

| Black Market | Reports of domestic cylinders selling for $Rs 1,500$–$Rs 3,000$. |

| Government Action | Strict monitoring of social media to curb “rumors.” |

The political heat is expected to rise as the opposition plans a series of protests across the state, demanding an immediate restoration of the supply chain and an end to the “waiting period” for essential cooking fuel.