New Delhi, March 12 (NationPress) The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, raised concerns on Thursday regarding the ongoing shortages of LPG affecting the hotel industry, attributing this to the ongoing crisis in West Asia and asserting that this was merely the "start of suffering" that is likely to worsen in the near future.

During his speech in the Lok Sabha addressing the 'LPG crisis', the Congress MP criticized the Union government for what he termed as its subservience to the directives of the US administration, questioning how the US President could dictate from where and from whom India should procure its oil.

Rahul Gandhi reiterated his accusations of 'compromise', identifying it as a principal reason behind the petrol and LPG shortages currently facing the nation.

This narrative was contested by the Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who asserted that India's oil reserves are ample and there is no impending crisis.

While discussing the situation in West Asia, Rahul Gandhi warned that the conflict between the US and Israel against Iran would have significant implications for countries like India, which are already becoming apparent.

He noted, "The central route accounting for 20 percent of global oil transportation, the Strait of Hormuz, has been closed, which will have dire consequences for us (India) as a substantial amount of our oil and natural gas is transported via this route."

"The suffering has just begun. Restaurants are shutting down, there is increasing anxiety over LPG, and street vendors are feeling the impact; as I mentioned, this is just the onset," the Leader of Opposition elaborated.

Questioning the United States' interference in India's oil agreements, he asked, "How can a foreign country dictate who we purchase oil from, whether we can engage with Russia for oil, and determine our relationships with various suppliers? This is a clear case of bartering our sovereignty."

He expressed his long-standing confusion regarding this issue, but claimed to have now deciphered it, attributing such 'capitulation' to India's compromised interests.

"It remains baffling why a nation of India's size would permit another country, or its President, to dictate our ability to buy Russian oil and shape our diplomatic ties with other nations," he stated.

"I've unraveled this enigma, and the answer lies in compromise," the Lok Sabha LoP mentioned.

His reference to Jeffrey Epstein however raised eyebrows and provoked reactions from the ruling Treasury benches.

While pressing the Central government on the LPG issue, Rahul Gandhi pointed out that the Union Petroleum Minister had acknowledged his connections with Epstein.

This prompted an intervention from Speaker Om Birla.

Following the session, several Bharatiya Janata Party MPs called for penal action against Rahul Gandhi for breaching parliamentary decorum by bringing up the Epstein matter, which they argued was irrelevant to the current discussion.