Mysuru: Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj staged a protest in Mysuru on Friday highlighting the difficulties faced by households, hotels and restaurants due to the shortage of LPG cylinders amid concerns over the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Known for his unconventional methods of protest, Vatal Nagaraj drew public attention by sitting on an LPG cylinder and using firewood to boil water as a symbolic demonstration against the scarcity of cooking gas.
The protest aimed to highlight the impact of the LPG shortage on daily life, particularly for families and the hospitality sector that rely heavily on gas cylinders for cooking.
Symbolic protest to highlight fuel crisis
During the demonstration, Vatal Nagaraj and his supporters used traditional firewood stoves to symbolically show how people may be forced to return to older cooking methods if the shortage continues.
The protest was organised in a public area in Mysuru and drew the attention of passers-by and local residents. Supporters of the Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha joined the demonstration and raised slogans demanding immediate measures to address the LPG supply disruption.
The leader said the protest was intended to draw the attention of both the state and central governments to the difficulties faced by common people.
Concerns over global conflict
Speaking to reporters after the protest, Vatal Nagaraj linked the LPG shortage to the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
He warned that prolonged conflict could affect fuel supply and have wider consequences for global food availability.
“If the war continues, people in India will also face serious difficulties. It could eventually affect food availability around the world,” he said, describing the situation as a “war on food”.
According to him, disruptions in energy supply could have far-reaching effects on essential commodities, including cooking fuel and food production.
Call for immediate measures
The Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader urged authorities to take urgent steps to address the LPG shortage and ensure uninterrupted supply to households and businesses.
He said many people have already started using firewood for cooking due to the shortage of gas cylinders. However, he cautioned that this solution is neither sufficient nor sustainable in the long run.
“LPG is the main source of cooking fuel for most households. Returning to firewood cooking could lead to environmental damage and deforestation,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining stable fuel supply for hotels and restaurants, which serve a large section of the population in urban areas.
Karnataka bandh warning
Vatal Nagaraj further stated that his party is considering calling for a Karnataka bandh if the LPG supply situation does not improve in the coming days.
He said such a move would be intended to draw wider public attention to the issue and pressure authorities to resolve the problem quickly.
Supporters of the party indicated that further protests may be organised across the state if the shortage continues.
Conclusion
The protest reflects growing concerns among citizens and business owners about the availability of LPG cylinders amid global tensions affecting energy supplies.
While authorities continue to monitor the situation, leaders and activists have urged governments to take swift measures to stabilise LPG supply and minimise disruption to daily life.