I don't eat Onions: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Price Hike

Guwahati, December 5, 2019:

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has landed in the soup once again with a major gaffe. Sitharaman, who is no stranger to controversy, raised quite a few eyebrows by saying that she comes from a family that doesn't consume much onions and garlic during a debate on the skyrocketing prices of the vegetable.

Replying to a question posed by NCP MP Supriya Sule in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “I don't eat much of onions and garlic. I come from such a family which we don't have much to do with onions.”

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The controversial statement by the finance minister has brought in huge criticism to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government.

The finance minister addressed in the Lok Sabha that the government has taken several steps to check rising prices of onions, however, the people across the country continue to shed tears due to the rising prices of the vegetable.

Sitharaman also mentioned that the monitoring of the ups and down in onion market is on since 2014.

It is to be mentioned here that the prices of onion in many places have crossed Rs 100 per kg because of less production.

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In Hyderabad, the prices of onions have reached Rs 150 per kilogram, Chennai hits a record high of Rs 120 per kilogram, whereas the prices have reached Rs 160 per kilogram in Kolkata. In the Northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura the prices of onions are hovering between Rs 90 to Rs 100 per kilogram.

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