Cooking Gas Crisis: LDF Protests Against Central Government’s Neglect

Thiruvananthapuram: LDF will protest statewide tomorrow (12/02/2026) against the central government’s failure to intervene and resolve the cooking gas crisis that has escalated following the West Asian conflict. LDF convenor T. P. Ramakrishnan announced in a statement that a protest dharna will be organised in front of central government offices in all assembly constituencies.

The LDF has blamed the central government’s failure to take precautionary measures, despite receiving a war warning earlier, as the cause of the current problems facing the country. The crisis has severely affected all sectors, as there are very few households in Kerala that do not rely on LPG for cooking. Hotels have begun closing down due to the reduced availability of cooking gas in the state. Many hotels in cities including Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Kozhikode have shut down. In Kochi alone, the crisis has impacted around 8,000 hotels. Dishes such as biryani, parotta, and dosa, which require longer cooking times, have started disappearing from menus.

While switching to firewood stoves is not practical in urban areas, implementing induction systems entails a significant financial burden. Even in this serious situation, the protest organised by the masses aims to wake up the central government, which remains inactive, said T. P. Ramakrishnan.