NEW DELHI: Priyanka Gandhi, Congress General Secretary, issued a scathing critique of the government's handling of inflation on a Friday. She expressed deep concern over the soaring prices of essential commodities such as onions, sugar, and other staples, just a week before the festive occasion of Diwali.

"Diwali is just around the corner, but the cost of basic food items is already burning a hole in people's pockets. It's perplexing to witness the sudden and rapid surge in onion prices, especially when India ranks as the second-largest producer of this vital vegetable," Priyanka Gandhi lamented in a statement posted on a platform.

She went on to highlight the astounding onion production by our dedicated farmers, who contributed 31 lakh metric tonnes of this staple in the previous year. "One can't help but wonder, are these onions being stockpiled in the warehouses of wealthy merchants, or have they perished in government storage facilities due to a lack of proper maintenance?" she questioned, casting aspersions on the government's handling of this critical resource.

Priyanka Gandhi didn't stop at onions. She drew attention to the dire situation with other essential commodities, including sugar, arhar, and urad pulses, which have become unaffordable for ordinary citizens. "The question that looms large is what will people eat and offer during the festive season? How can they partake in the celebrations? It is incumbent upon the government to provide answers to these pressing questions," she asserted.

The Congress party has been consistently critical of the government's inability to curb the skyrocketing prices of essential goods in recent days. In the national capital, the cost of onions in local markets has already reached an exorbitant range of Rs 70-80 per kilogram, adding to the burden faced by the common man during these trying times.

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