Telugu Desam Party chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu staged a protest against rising onion prices on Monday, near the state Secretariat. This comes on the same day that the winter session of the Andhra Assembly began.
“Onion prices have risen to the level of gold prices and the state government has failed to reduce the price. Our fight will continue until the prices of onion come down,” Naidu said.
TDP party workers, including Naidu’s son and TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh, were seen wearing garlands made of onions and raising slogans in Venkatapalem village, which is part of state capital Amaravati’s notified area.
As part of the protest, the TDP members also carried a huge model of an onion. They even carried a weighing scale with gold on one side and onions on the other, in protest. Prices of the household staple have been soaring across the country over the past few weeks.
Slogans of “Reduce onion prices which are breaking the spine of common man” and “Down with the government which has become a spectator” were raised. The protesters attacked the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra government over rising prices.
“We carried out a protest in front of the Assembly to highlight the problems women are facing to buy one kg of onions. Waiting in queues, women are fainting. The tall claims of government subsidised onions aren't reaching people. We demand the government to regulate the prices and ensure that onions are available at a cheaper price,” Lokesh said in a tweet on Monday.
కేజీ ఉల్లి కోసం రాష్ట్రంలో మహిళలు పడుతున్న కష్టాలను, ప్రభుత్వం దృష్టికి తీసుకెళ్లేందుకు అసెంబ్లీ ఎదురుగా ధర్నా నిర్వహించాం. ఉల్లి కోసం మహిళలు క్యూ లైన్లలో నిలబడి సొమ్మసిల్లుతున్నారు. ప్రభుత్వం గొప్పగా చెప్పుకుంటున్న సబ్సిడీ ఉల్లి ప్రజలకు అందడం లేదు. (1/2)#OnionPriceHike pic.twitter.com/k84tkiI8No
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) December 9, 2019
According to agency reports, the TDP party workers tried to storm the Assembly but were stopped by the police.
“What is this merciless attack against the common man, oh lord? You (Jagan) increased the sand rates, we postponed the house construction. You increased onion prices, we are cooking without onions. Now after increasing RTC bus fare can we abstain from travelling, lord? Shouldn't we go for jobs? #JaganFailedCM,” the Telugu Desam Party said in a tweet.
Last week, Vizianagaram witnessed a stampede-like situation after a Rythu Bazar was selling onions at Rs 25 per kilo, as opposed to the retail price of Rs 100 and above. The near-stampede ensued after a rumour that the stock would run out soon.
According to reports, the wholesale price of onions has gone down in a few farmers’ markets in the state. The Hindu Business Line reported that at Rythu Bazars, the price had been limited to Rs 25 per kilo.
According to the government, 35,000 quintals of onion worth Rs 25 crore have been purchased from Sholapur, Alwar, Kurnool and Tadepalligudem at prices ranging from Rs 40 to Rs 120 per kilo, but they are being sold at Rs 25 per kilo. This is reportedly being done with the help of a stabilisation fund that the Andhra government set up in October.