Bhubaneswar: The student wing of Odisha Congress staged a demonstration outside the residence of Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, protesting the skyrocketing prices of onion in the state.
Raising slogans against the state government, activists of Chhatra Congress lamented that the price of onion has gone up to Rs 80 per kg across the state and no step has been taken by the administration to bring the prices under control.
The demonstrators, who carried placards and banners, said that the consumers across the state have been hit hard due to steep rise in the price of onion, which happens to be an essential ingredient in the food of common people.
Accusing the state government of having failed to control the price and black marketing of onion, the protesters also carried onion baskets. In a novel way of protest, the demonstrators also sold onion at Rs 20 per kg.
“The government has failed to keep onion prices under control in the state. Though it had formed Onion Mission in 2015 with an expenditure of Rs 15 crore to control the price of onion, the outcome is zero,” state Chhatra Congress President Yasir Nawaj claimed.
Accusing the state government of being apathetic towards the plight of common people, the protesters the government has no control over the prices of essential food items.
Hitting out at the Agriculture Minister, they said Swain should resign if he is unable to keep the prices under control.
Reacting to the protest by Chhatra Congress activists, Odisha’s Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said onion price rise is a nationwide phenomenon and prices are rising in other states as well.
The Centre needs to look into the matter and take necessary steps to keep the prices under control, he said.
