AASU Demands Government Action Over LPG Shortage and Price Hike in Assam

All Assam Students' Union (AASU) adviser Dr Samujjal Bhattacharjya has urged both the Assam state government and the central government to take immediate steps to address a growing shortage of LPG cylinders and a sharp rise in fuel prices.

His demand comes as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt global oil and gas supply chains, with its effects now being felt directly by consumers in Assam and across India.

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Dr Bhattacharjya took to X (formerly Twitter) to describe the ground reality — one he says is starkly different from official assurances.

"Occasionally, the state and the central governments assure the consumers that there's no dearth of LPG stock. However, the reality is different. There is a scarcity of LPG," he wrote.

He pointed to a telling sign of the crunch: the waiting period between receiving a filled cylinder and being able to book the next one has stretched from one or two days to 25 days.

The shortage is not limited to domestic cylinders either. Commercial LPG supplies are also running short — hitting small businesses, dhabas, and food vendors that depend on them daily.

Dr Bhattacharjya also flagged the emergence of opportunistic pricing in the wake of the shortage.

With official supply lines stretched, he said a section of unscrupulous traders has begun selling LPG cylinders at inflated, exorbitant prices — putting further pressure on ordinary households already coping with rising costs.

"The common people are the most affected," he stated plainly.

Dr Bhattacharjya's message to both governments was direct: ensure that every consumer can access an LPG cylinder at the right price and at the right time.

The call reflects wider public frustration in Assam, where fuel price hikes on premium petrol have already followed the spike in global crude prices triggered by the Middle East conflict.

With no immediate relief announced by authorities, pressure from civil society organisations like AASU is likely to grow in the days ahead.