It is that
of ‘Allium cepa’ – the bulb onion that is embattling
the Central Govt – not on any welfare motive but on the run up to State
polls. The onion prices, defying the
sharp dip in the rates in the country's biggest wholesale market at Lasalgaon
in Nashik, continued to spiral and touched the Rs 100 per kg mark in the city
and elsewhere making the Govt panick-stricken. Food minister K V Thomas rushed
to Maharashtra as the Congress-ruled state accounts for 28% of the total onion
production and can help tame prices by cracking down on hoarders. Commerce
minister Anand Sharma blamed hoarders for the spike in onion prices which political
rivals have painted as the UPA government's failure, and worse, insensitivity
towards the poor. The Congress government in Delhi, which rode the onion anger
to power in 1998, was more precise as it shifted the blame on hoarders in
BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh. Civil supplies minister Haroon Yusuf alleged that
hoarders were keeping supplies from reaching Delhi to sabotage Congress's
prospects in the assembly elections.
But a Govt ruling at
the Centre and State should have strategy and plans in place rather than simple
letting out of anger. We even heard of
Food Minister’s talk on banning exports ! ~ should sound only a political
statement as none would send farther off when one can realize higher revenue
locally. It should be other way –
allowing imports from neighbouring countries……….. some agencies report that
Onion supplies increased by close to 15% but still prices have not been
controlled.
Now they will blame
the farmers for keeping their stocks expecting higher prices, when it is public
knowledge that it is always the middlemen who control the market. Elsewhere, the Finance Minister P.
Chidambaram on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of lifting a ban on import of
gold coins and medallions and asked banks to strictly follow guidelines
restricting inward shipments of the metal. “Import of gold coins and gold
medallions is prohibited. Nobody can import gold coins and medallions,” he
said, referring to a suggestion that the government should allow import of
coins for ‘shagun’ (auspicious gift) purposes.
He said traders can
buy gold from the domestic market and make coins, but the government will not
relax the curbs that were imposed to contain the current account deficit (CAD).
High gold imports of 845 tonnes was one of the main reasons that pushed the CAD
— the difference between the inflow and outflow of foreign exchange — to a
record high of 4.8 per cent of GDP, or $88.2 billion, in the previous financial
year.
So for some it is Gold or Onions……….. the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contesting the
coming Delhi assembly election with "broom" as its symbol. The party said broom symbolized dignity of
labour. "With broom, the party hopes to clean the filth which has
permeated our government and legislature. The country needs a clean sweep of
its corrupted mainstream political parties," the statement added.
photo courtesy : NDTV - will he be spoilsport for BJP's chances is the Q
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
23rd Oct 2013.
