People in tears over onion price

The abnormal rise in the prices of onion, which has become the costliest vegetable item, will certainly have political impact. It is true that due to the vagaries of rain and drought, the onion was not cultivated on a large-scale this year. Maharastra is the largest producer of onion. It is produced on the largest scale in Nasik there. With the falling of its production due to drought and heavy rains in many parts of the country, its distribution and transportation from one place to another was badly affected. These factors have also contributed to the rise in its prices. But the state and the central governments are not meant for watching the exorbitant price of all food items, including onion as mute spectators. They have to act. If there is shortage in the production of onion, they should have instantly stopped its export to maintain supply and demand of the market to stabilize its price. Onion is being sold at Rs 80 per kg in Delhi. Even the well off persons can not afford to purchase onion in Kg and they have become compelled to purchase in grams. In the given situation, the poor people can only dream of eating onion with bread and salt. This is the position of national capital New Delhi. Here both at the Centre and in the state, the ruling party is Congress. Both the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit are watching the situation and uneasiness among the poor people because of the abnormal price rise of all food articles and vegetable items, including onion, which tops the list, as mute spectators. They appear to have lost sense of sensitivity. They have become insensitive to the problems being faced by the common people due to runaway prices of all food items, including vegetables. Their Aam Aadmi slogan is nothing but an eyewash. Profiteers, black marketeers and hoarders have a field day. There is no government agency active to check their activities. Neither the state nor the Central government rises from its deep slumber to act. It is the duty of both the Central and State governments to act to keep the prices of all essential commodities, including all food items under control. They should act to maintain the smooth distribution and supplies of all these items so that the poor people could not face any problem in feeling their stomachs. The Delhi Congress government of Chief Minister Sheila Dixit appears to have forgotten that it is the onion price which had gone beyond the reach of poor Delhiites in 1998 that helped her throw the Sushma Swaraj-led BJP government of Delhi at that time. Since then Chief Minister Sheila Dixit has been ruling here. If she continued to be slothful and did not take any action against profiteers, black marketeers and hoarders, she is bound to face defeat in the November assembly elections of Delhi.