Just days before the polling for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly election, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday, 26 October, held up a garland of onions in a gesture to ridicule the BJP-led central government.
"The common man is reeling under back-breaking inflation, corruption and unemployment. Work and business are shut. The farmers, workers, youth and traders are struggling to get food. The BJP government has killed the small businessmen. When there was inflation, these people (BJP) used to roam around wearing onion garlands, now we're giving them this (garland)," Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi.
‘Farmers Being Destroyed, Youth Unemployed’
Speaking to the media, Yadav – who has focused in campaign on economic issues – said, "Inflation is the biggest issue. BJP people used to wear a garland of onions. Now, it's about to touch Rs 100/kg. There's unemployment, starvation is rising, small traders are destroyed, poverty is rising. GDP is falling, we're going through an economic crisis."
"Those who were speaking about onion when it touched Rs 50-60/kg are now silent when it has crossed Rs 80/kg. Farmers are being destroyed, youth is unemployed, Bihar is poor and people are migrating for education, jobs and medical help. Starvation is on the rise," he was further quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The RJD leader's attack comes amid escalating onion prices across the country. The Centre recently imposed a stock holding limit on onion traders in a bid to check the prices.
The campaigning for the first phase of the Bihar election will come to an end on Monday, with the polls due on 28 October. The polling for the second and third phases will be held on 3 and 7 November respectively, with the results to be declared on 10 November.
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