Bengaluru/New Delhi, March 10 (NationPress) D.K. Shivakumar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, strongly condemned the Central government for the cooking gas cylinder shortage, asserting that it has been unresponsive to the crisis affecting multiple sectors nationwide.

In response, Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, attributed the shortage to global geopolitical conflicts and India's reliance on imported petroleum products.

While speaking to the media near Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, Shivakumar highlighted the dire state of the hotel industry, stating, "The inadequate supply of gas cylinders has brought the hotel sector to the edge of closure. The Central government has ignored this serious issue, which is now reaching a critical point."

He further expressed concern about the government's foreign policy failures and urged it to clarify its stance on the situation. "It is essential for Members of Parliament to address this issue. The Karnataka Hotel Association is contemplating shutting down hotels due to the persistent shortage, which will also adversely affect hospitals. The government must intervene and resolve this crisis," he emphasized.

As the state Congress chief, Shivakumar also criticized the Centre for failing to implement alternative solutions to tackle the shortage. "The government needs to ensure that households and businesses face no inconvenience by establishing effective alternative measures. However, no significant actions have been taken in the past 15 days," he remarked.

Addressing a question regarding his six-year tenure as the state Congress President, Shivakumar expressed gratitude to veteran leader Sonia Gandhi for his appointment. "Sonia Gandhi entrusted me with this role, and I am thankful for the opportunity. Given the ongoing Assembly session, we have opted for a modest celebration with a dinner for all MLAs instead of a grand event," he stated.

When asked about calls for him to become Chief Minister, Shivakumar refrained from commenting, saying, "I prefer not to discuss that. I am focused on fulfilling the responsibilities assigned to me by the party."

Meanwhile, in New Delhi, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje linked the shortage of petroleum products to international geopolitical tensions and India's dependence on imports. She stated that India lacks Aatmanirbharta in naturally occurring petroleum resources, with about 80 to 90 percent of its gas and petroleum needs being imported from the Middle East.

Karandlaje pointed out that ongoing conflicts in that region have disrupted supply chains for many nations. "Due to the war in that region, numerous countries are experiencing shortages of petroleum products, leading to a decrease in the arrival of these products at our ports," she added.