Congress party sells cooking oil in Delhi

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, April 10

Concerned at the price rise hitting the popularity of the party in the Capital, the Delhi Congress on Thursday decided to sell cooking oil with help from an association of traders. The oil would be sold at a price which is 25 percent less from the market so that the “shopkeepers are inspired and reduce their rates”.

Addressing a news conference, Delhi Congress President J.P. Aggarwal described the move as a small but significant beginning to check price spiral. “If we sell cheap oil, people would purchase from our outlets and this will correct the market price sooner or later,” Aggarwal said.

Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf warned the hoarders. “We will take strong action if we find that hoarding is taking place,” said the Minister. He claimed the government was doing all it could to bring the prices down in some commodities.

Congress leaders said this was the first time in the country that the party was involved in selling an essential item to check price rise. “If we don’t do it, we will be politically finished in the election year,” a senior party leader told HT. “We should be seen doing something even if it doesn’t have the desired impact on the overall price situation in the city,” he added.

Aggarwal said all types of cooking oil – mustard, soyabeen and vanaspati – would be sold at the rate of Rs 55-60 from 25 outlets in the city. The Delhi Vegetable Oil Association has pitched in with the Congress in what the Congress leaders said as the “great oil sale”.

Asked if the party would sell more items in the run-up to the assembly elections to hold the price line, Aggarwal said it could. “The party and the government would join hands in the battle. This is more of a creation of the Opposition parties,” said the DPCC President.

Delhi BJP, on the other hand, termed this is a “political stunt and a drama”. “The prices of flour, pulses, rice, sugar, tea, milk ghee, vegetables and fruits are sky rocketing,” said state party President Harsh Vardhan. He asked, the ruling Congress should first introspect as to why was cooking oil being sold at Rs 80 a kg. “Such political stunts in an election year are meant to fool the gullible but the people understand these and would give a befitting reply,” said the BJP President.

(2008)