New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday blamed each other for the rise in onion prices in the national capital.
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the biggest reason for onion price inflation was hoarding while the second big reason was the "bad politics by the Arvind Kejriwal-led government which refused to accept the onion being sent by the Central government".
On the contrary, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "It is because of the bad policies of the Centre that people are suffering with high prices."
Speaking to the media, Singh said that onion prices have increased as the Centre did not import onions when they had to.
"From farmers to common men, all are suffering because of onion price rise. They did not export onion when they had to, nor did they import when they had to," Singh said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had alleged that the Centre had stopped the supply of onion to the Delhi government at controlled price as rates hovered over the Rs 100 per kg mark here.
Addressing the media, Tiwari blamed the Food Department of Delhi government for the hike in onion prices, saying the "real face" of the Kejriwal government has been exposed in front of the people of Delhi.
"On one hand, Kejriwal government refused to accept onions given by the Centre and on the other hand, they say the Centre is not providing onions. This way they are only misleading the public," Tiwari said.
He said the people of Delhi were first hit by pollution, then contaminated drinking water and now expensive onions are being sold at double the price of apples.
The BJP MP said the city government, which has 'betrayed' the people of Delhi for 57 months, was once again blaming the Central government for onion price hike.
"The Modi government at the Centre has so far provided onions at cheaper rates to Delhi. The Centre has stored onions in the storage using prize stabilisation fund and is selling them for Rs 23.90 per kg even today through the booths of Central stores, NAFED, NCCF and Mother Dairy," he said.
Tiwari added that the Centre had written several times to the Delhi government, asking for onion storage, but the Chief Minister of Delhi refused to accept onions from the Central government.
The BJP also organised a protest on Friday against the AAP for soaring onion prices.
BJP MP Vijay Goel, along with BJP all-India Vice President Prabhat Jha and MP Meenakshi Lekhi held a demonstration at the Ajmeri Gate.
Claiming that Kejriwal was misleading the people of Delhi, Goel said, "First, he never demanded onions from the Centre and now he is shifting the blame of his failures to the Central government."
"The Kejriwal government does not have any foresight," Lekhi said.
--IANS
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