"Onion traders are feeling harassed by income tax raids and have thus decided to go on strike from tomorrow," Delhi Agricultural and Marketing Board chairman Brahm Yadav said.
In a move which will further fuel prices, onion traders in Asia's biggest Azadpur mandi here today said they will go on an indefinite strike from tomorrow protesting income tax raids.
"Onion traders are feeling harassed by income tax raids and have thus decided to go on strike from tomorrow," Delhi Agricultural and Marketing Board chairman Brahm Yadav said.
He said auctions will not take place tomorrow, disrupting the entire supply chain to the retail point.
Other mandis in Delhi and NCR region may also join the traders' protest, he said.
Onion is selling at Rs60/kg in the capital. Prices are set to rise tomorrow in case the government does not intervene and the strike is called off, traders said.
Since last week, income tax authorities are carrying out surveys and raids on traders in different parts of the country to check hoarding.
The strike call by traders in Azadpur mandi, Asia's biggest fruits and vegetable market, follows a similar move in Nashik, Maharashtra, where the crisis was averted yesterday following intervention by the local authorities.
Yadav said while the strike call has been given by onion traders, other vegetable and fruits wholesellers may join the protest in the next two-three days in case the government does not take corrective action.
They are demanding immediate stop to income tax raids and surveys while denying any hoarding in the market.
"We are not responsible for shortages because of which prices are going up. We are neither hoarding nor profiteering," Tomato and Onion Merchants' Association in Azadpur mandi General Secretary Rajendra Sharma said.
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