Rijiju Accuses Congress of Using Old LPG Queue Photo to Spread Panic Amid Fuel Concerns

New Delhi, March 2026 : Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Indian National Congress, accusing the opposition party of spreading misinformation and using outdated images to create panic over fuel supplies amid the ongoing global energy tensions linked to the Iran conflict.

Taking to social media platform X, Rijiju alleged that the Congress had circulated a photograph from 2011 showing people standing in long queues to book LPG cylinders and attempted to present it as a recent image to suggest a shortage of cooking gas in the country.

“Congress used a 2011 photo to run a false propaganda,” Rijiju wrote, while sharing a comparison of the image used in the Congress post and a digital article from 2011 where the same photograph had originally appeared.

The Union Minister accused the opposition party of resorting to misleading tactics in an attempt to portray the Central government in a negative light. “Congress Party should not brazenly insult itself,” he said, criticising what he described as attempts to spread panic among citizens during a sensitive global situation.

Rijiju also sought to reassure the public that India’s fuel supply remains stable and well managed under the leadership of Narendra Modi.

“Now our country is being led under the guidance of the very strong and visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji,” he wrote, emphasising that the government is taking necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted availability of LPG and other fuels.

Meanwhile, Amit Malviya, spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party and head of its National IT Cell, also weighed in on the issue. Malviya shared a comparative list of fuel price changes across G20 nations following the Iran conflict.

According to the list, petrol prices in India have remained unchanged between February 1 and March 12, 2026. In contrast, the United States witnessed the highest increase, with petrol prices rising by 22 per cent during the same period.

Malviya noted that only Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have maintained stable petrol prices similar to India despite the geopolitical developments in the Gulf region. The data also indicated that fuel prices in Russia have marginally declined since February 1.

Highlighting the government’s handling of the situation, Malviya credited Prime Minister Modi for ensuring stability in fuel prices and maintaining supply chains despite global uncertainties.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated India’s call for de-escalation of tensions in the ongoing regional conflict while assuring citizens that the country has adequate stocks of crude oil, petrol, diesel, and LPG.

The government also said that it is closely monitoring developments in the region and has initiated measures to safeguard maritime operations and ensure the safe return of Indian seafarers working in the affected areas.

Officials emphasised that India’s energy supply remains secure and that there is no cause for public concern regarding fuel availability.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)