'I've found the puzzle of compromise': Rahul Gandhi tears into Hardeep Puri before Speaker cuts short his speech

For the second day in running, the Opposition cornered the Modi government over the LPG crisis following the situation in West Asia.

New Delhi: The Opposition on Thursday (March 11) showed no signs of relenting on confrontation with the Modi government in Lok Sabha as Rahul Gandhi raised questions over the LPG crisis following the situation in West Asia, claiming that he has figured out the "puzzle of compromise", but his speech was cut short after he linked Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri to Epstein Files.

Rahul did not continue his speech as Speaker Om Birla maintained that he has deviated from the content of the 'notice' he had submitted and that he cannot be allowed to make allegations against an MP without giving prior notice even as the Leader of the Opposition said he was talking about energy and economic security of the country.

The fresh confrontation comes a day after an Opposition-sponsored notice to remove Birla as Speaker was defeated and on a day he told the House that the Leader of Opposition has "no special privilege" so that he can say anything.

Rahul and the Opposition have alleged that the former has not been allowed to raise issues.

Just before Puri made a statement in the House in late afternoon, Rahul was called to speak on the issue as he had submitted a notice seeking a discussion on shortage of LPG supply, which he said has created "widespread panic" in the country with restaurants closing and street vendors getting affected.

Warning that the war between US-Israel and Iran would have "far-reaching consequences", he said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the central artery from where 20 per cent of global oil flows, would have "tremendous repercussions" as large portion of oil for the country comes from this region.

"The pain has just started. Restaurants are closing. There is widespread panic about LPG. Street vendors are affected," he said.

Insisting that the foundation of every nation is based on energy security, he questioned how one can allow the US to decide on who India will buy oil and gas from or whether New Delhi can buy oil from Russia or not. He said relationships with oil suppliers will be decided by India but alleged that it has been "bartered".

"It's a puzzling fact that why a nation the size of India would allow any other nation to give us permission to buy Russian oil, to decide who our relations are with. This has been a puzzle and I've figured it out. The puzzle is about compromise," he said and referred to Puri's own statement about a controversial figure in the United States.

At this point, Birla intervened and said Rahul cannot raise this issue even as the latter insisted that he was speaking on energy and economic security. He said he would not give Rahul permission to raise the contentious issue and then called Samajwadi Party's Dharmendra Yadav, who appealed to the chair to allow the Leader of the Opposition to place his views.

“I've a copy of the notice given by him regarding the gas shortage…and I allowed him to speak on that subject. However, despite being a responsible LoP, discussing other issues without notice is not within the procedures and rules of Parliament,” Birla said even as Congress MPs rushed into the Well and shouted slogans while Puri read out the statement.

The Leader of Opposition wanted to raise it at the start of Zero Hour, but Speaker Om Birla had then said that the government wants the Petroleum Minister to respond to the issue with a statement and it would be taken up at a time Puri is available. 

Raising the decibel levels on the issue, the joint Opposition staged a protest at 'Makar Dwar' of Parliament with cut-outs of LPG cylinders. Leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sat near a ‘fireplace’ and shouted slogans against the government