The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday targeted the Centre over the increase in the price of cooking gas cylinders and questioned why the state BJP was silent on the issue.

The party slammed the Centre, demanding an immediate rollback.

The BJD said the price of one domestic LPG cylinder (14.2kg) was Rs 410 in March 2014 which has now become Rs 1,103 with the Centre making a further hike with effect from March 1, 2023.

Addressing a media conference, senior BJD leader and MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik said: “The Centre has increased the price of a cooking gas cylinder by another Rs 50. It has increased almost three times in the past nine years. This steep rise has caused great pain and anguish to the lakhs of mothers and sisters of Odisha and to the lakhs of kitchens of Odisha.”

Targeting the Centre on the issue, Patnaik said: “When Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, he brought in Ujjwala Yojana to provide subsidised cylinders with an intent that women of Odisha and India will not have tears in their eyes because of the smoke of firewood. Huge billboards were installed in all the petrol pumps across India.”

He, accompanied by party spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra, said: “Because of such steep hike in cooking gas cylinder price, lakhs of mothers and sisters of Odisha are unable to refill the gas cylinders and are again compelled to return to using firewood.”

Patnaik said: “The Centre stopped the 5kg free rice per person under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) which was being given additionally to the existing 5kg free rice under NFSA (National Food Security Act). Now by hiking the cooking gas prices by three times in 9 years, they have dealt a double blow on the common man’s kitchen and household.

“While people were trying to survive with the 5kg rice available to them, the price of cooking gas was increased by Rs 50. I don’t understand what point PM Modi wants to make with this. Perhaps, he wants the poor to consume uncooked rice for good health.”

“We are surprised as to why the Odisha BJP is silent. Why are they not wanting to discuss issues like this which affect the common man and woman and their livelihood?,” Patnaik questioned.