Union minister Smriti Irani was questioned about the rising fuel prices in India, by the chief of Congress women’s wing, Netta D’Souza, while the two were on the Delhi-Guwahati flight. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member said “please don’t lie”, when asked about the shortage in cooking gas as well as “stoves without gas”. She also seemed caught unawares when asked about rising fuel prices and claimed the Congress leader was blocking her way.

Also Read | Joe Biden orders release of 1 million oil barrels daily to reduce gas prices

D’Souza recorded the encounter and tweeted the video, saying “Faced Modi Minister @smritiirani ji, enroute to Guwahati. When asked about Unbearable Rising Prices of LPG, she blamed Vaccines, Raashan & even the poor! Do watch the video excerpts, on how she reacted to common people’s misery!” 

Later, Irani is heard telling the Congress chief she’s being “accosted”.

The price of petroleum has been hiked 115 times in 16 days, though there has been no rise in the last two. Currently, it stands at Rs 10 per litre. 

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has attributed the rise in fuel prices to the Ukraine-Russia war but noted that in India it was just a 5% hike as compared to other countries like the US and Germany, where prices have risen by 50%. 

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi leads fuel hike protest by Congress MPs in Delhi

Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, after which there has been a hike in crude oil prices. However, in India, where assembly elections took place in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Goa, between February 20 and March 10, there was no rise in fuel prices. 

The opposition has claimed that this was the BJP’s strategy after the party won in all states except Punjab. Notably, the rising prices have now driven India to strike a deal with Russia to obtain oil at a discounted rate, and talks are ongoing to work out a rupee-ruble payment system, in accordance with Moscow’s wishes regarding the desired currency of payment.