As onion prices in India keep going upward, Samajwadi Party’s youth wing has come up with a distinctive way to protest against the government's inability to tackle the soaring prices of the vegetable.
In order to register their protest against the BJP-led state government in Uttar Pradesh on the issue of onion prices, Samajwadi party workers have set up a counter in Varanasi where they provide onions to customers on loan. The counter takes Aadhar card as mortgage from customers and in return loans out onions.
“This is being done to register our protest against the high price of onions. We are giving onions by keeping Aadhaar Card or silver jewellery as a mortgage. At some shops, onions are being kept in lockers as well,” ANI quoted a Samajwadi party worker as saying.
In Lucknow, Congress Workers protested against rising onion prices by selling onions at Rs 40/kg just outside the state assembly. The party workers alleged that high onion prices have dismantled household budget and the government is not able enough to deal with the crisis.
Onions are being sold at Rs 100/kg in various districts of Uttar Pradesh which includes Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Bhadohi, Barabanki and Gonda.
On Saturday, long queues were witnessed at counters of Bihar State Cooperative Marketing Union Limited in Patna where onions were being sold at Rs 35/kg at a time when the market price of the vegetable is soaring up to Rs 70-80 per kg at various places in the country. A person can buy 2kg onion at Rs 35/kg, however, he/she can buy 25kg at the same rate if the person shows a wedding card.
As a large number of people gathered outside the counter, there were instances of stampedes, stone pelting, which forced the officers to wear headgear.
Earlier this week, onion prices crossed the 100-mark in West Bengal. The prices of onions have sky-rocketed in the country, leaving consumers flabbergasted.
The Central Government on Wednesday said that it was unable to bring down the prices as it was not in its hands. Responding to a question on when the onion prices would come down, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said, "It's not in our hands."
However, he added that the government is taking every step possible to contain the price rise.
The Union Cabinet has decided to import of 1.2 lakh metric tonnes of onion to control the rising prices.
"We are concerned about the situation and the government is trying its best. We have taken maximum steps," he said, adding that the government has decided to import onions from other countries to control the surge in prices to about Rs 80-100 per kg in the market.
Earlier this month, Paswan held a meeting with secretary Consumer Affairs, Secretary Food, and other senior officials of the ministry to review the prices and availability of onions across the country.
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