New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS): Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, here on Sunday, accused the central government of trying to create an onion scarcity as the vegetable touched the Rs 100 mark in the national capital.
Addressing the media along with Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain, Sisodia said the Centre had failed to provide onions in Delhi as assured in writing on September 5.
Either prices had rocketed as onion stocks got spoiled due to Centre's negligence or there were ill-motivated efforts to benefit hoarders, he said.
Stating that people are upset about the rising onion price, Sisodia said, "It's the case across the country. But in Delhi, the central government was consciously creating shortage. It has stopped providing onions to Delhi government despite repeated requests.".
On September 5, the Centre wrote to the Delhi government that they had 56,000 tonnes of onions and asked the state to lift the vegetable as required. "Soon, the Delhi government intimated that it would take and distribute 10 trucks of onions -- 2.5 lakh kg -- a day on subsidised rates to stop hoarding," Sisodia said.
They also asked about provision of onions on a daily basis till December 9, he added.
However, it released only 3-4 trucks a day instead of 10 truckloads of onions, the Deputy Chief Minister said. "We set up teams and facilities in every Assembly seat to sell onions at the subsidised rates. Where is the stock of onions that the Union government claimed in writing? Why it allowed huge stock to rotten away?" he said.
Stating that not a single truckload of onion was provided on after November 24, the AAP leader said, "Not releasing it irrespective of huge stock as claimed indicates that the Centre is trying to create the scarcity, probably for the benefits of hoarders and other vested interest groups."
Hussain said the Centre stopped the onion supply even as the city government set up infrastructure of mobile vans, fair price shops and made provisions for required manpower.
"I request Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan to release onions to be sold at subsidised rate in the national capital," Hussain said.