CPI(M) General Secretary M. A. Baby Urges PM Modi to Address Cooking Gas Crisis

New Delhi: M. A. Baby, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern over the ongoing shortage of cooking gas and its impact on people across the country.

In a letter released to the press by the CPI(M) Central Committee office, Baby said a large section of the population is facing serious hardship due to the scarcity of cooking gas cylinders and rising prices. He attributed the disruption partly to global energy supply instability caused by the ongoing US-Israel conflict involving Iran, which he said has affected international supply chains.

People are being forced to wait in long queues after registering for refills, while black-marketeers are allegedly selling domestic gas cylinders at inflated prices ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 4,000. Baby urged the government to take strict action against those hoarding cylinders and profiting from the shortage.

M A Baby also highlighted the impact of the crisis on educational institutions. Several student hostels have reportedly reduced meal options due to the lack of cooking gas, with some serving only dal or curry instead of full meals. In certain cases, hostels have been shut down and students asked to return home, raising concerns about the effect on students’ health and education.

Restaurants and office canteens have also been affected by the shortage, he said, while gig workers dependent on food delivery services are reportedly losing their jobs as food production declines. At the same time, the prices of alternative cooking sources such as induction stoves, electric cookers and firewood have risen sharply, along with the cost of edible oil.

Baby warned that the situation is pushing poorer sections of society toward hunger while placing additional financial pressure on middle-class households. He also noted that some gas-based crematoriums have reportedly suspended operations due to the shortage.

In the letter, he urged the central government to ensure strict action against black-marketing, guarantee uninterrupted gas supply to student hostels, regulate edible oil prices, provide compensation for affected gig workers and protect small restaurant owners.

He also called on the government to review its foreign policy stance and formally condemn the US-Israel war on Iran in Parliament. Recalling the parliamentary resolution passed during the 2003 invasion of Iraq under the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Baby urged the current government to adopt a similar position.

M A Baby appealed for immediate intervention by the Prime Minister to address the crisis and ensure stable access to essential energy resources for the public.