Former MP and Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) convener Pappu Yadav took to the streets of Patna to protest against the rising onion prices in a unique way.
With onion prices touching Rs 100 in the Bihar capital, Yadav stood outside the BJP office in the state capital, selling onions at Rs 35/kg. Needless to say, hundreds of people soon queued up to buy it.
He used the opportunity to slam the Union government for failing to rein in the spiralling onion prices. Yadav also hit out at Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan for his empty promises that the Centre was going to import onions and that prices would come down by mid-December. He, reportedly, asked that if the Centre can provide subsidy on fuel, why cannot it provide subsidy on onions.
The Congress on Tuesday attacked the government over high onion prices and accused the BJP members in Parliament of creating a ruckus in order to prevent a discussion on the important issue.
The attack by the Opposition party came amid rising prices of onions that were selling at a high price of Rs 75-100 per kg in major cities.
Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue, saying he had said "Na khaaonga na khane doonga (will neither indulge in corruption, nor allow others to do so)", but middlemen are indulging in corruption.
Meanwhile, the Centre reduced the stock holding limit for retailers and wholesalers to 5 tonnes and 25 tonnes, respectively.
Onion prices have been ruling high for the past few weeks even as various measures have been initiated to increase supply of the key kitchen staple.
Earlier, retailers were allowed to hold onion stock up to 10 tonnes and wholesalers up to 50 tonnes. Now, they can hold half of it, as per an order issued by the Consumer Affairs Ministry.
The revised stock holding limit would not be applicable for imported onions.
Retailers and wholesalers have also been directed to provide details of onion stock procured and sold on a daily basis to the ministry, the order added.
(With PTI inputs)
