Hardoi, Jul 24 (IANS): A statement made by the Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Women Development and Child Nutrition, Pratibha Shukla, has sparked a controversy.

The Minister advised people that if tomatoes are expensive, they should grow them at home or stop eating them.

"If tomatoes are expensive, people should grow them at home. If you stop eating tomatoes, the prices will inevitably come down. You can also eat lemon instead of tomato. If nobody is eating tomatoes, the prices will come down," she said.

Citing an example of the nutrition garden in Asahi village, the Uttar Pradesh Minister said that there is a solution to this inflation -- plant tomatoes at home.

"We have made a nutrition garden in Asahi village, the women in the village have made a nutrition garden, and tomatoes can also be planted in it. There is a solution to this inflation, this is not new, tomatoes are expensive all the time. If you do not eat tomatoes then use lemon, whatever is more expensive, discard it, it will automatically become cheaper," she said.

The Minister's statement created a controversy with people slamming her for 'insensitivity'.

"Earlier Nirmala Sitharaman had asked people to stop eating onions and now Shukla asks us to stop eating tomatoes. This shows how insensitive women politicians can be," said Ravindra Gupta, a local businessman.