Heated arguments in Andhra Pradesh Assembly over prices of onions

Heated arguments between the ruling and the opposition members were witnessed in the Assembly here on Tuesday over the skyrocketing prices of onion in the state.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that onion at the subsidised price would be supplied through market yards as well from Friday onwards. He said that his government was supplying onions to the public at Rs 25 per kg only through Rytu bazaars.

He said that Andhra Pradesh is the only state in the entire India that is providing onions at such a less price. "To date we provided 38,496 quintals of onion at a subsidised price," he said.

The Chief Minister alleged that onion is being sold at Rs 200 per kg in the Heritage shops of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu. Along with the Chief Minister, other YSRCP MLAs also alleged that Heritage shops belong to Naidu.

Reacting to the allegation, the TDP chief said the Heritage shop is not in their hands, as they have already sold it to the Future Group.

He reminded that he has already stated this in the assembly yesterday. "Despite that, YSRCP leaders are making allegations. If they can prove it, he will resign as MLA. If they cannot do so, will the Chief Minister resign from his position," asked Naidu.

The death of a person standing in a queue at Gudivada Rytu bazaar also became a hot topic during the discussion in the House. YSRCP MLAs accused the TDP of politicising the death of a person.

YSRCP MLA K Partha Sarathy said the kin of the deceased have cleared that he did not die due to onion problem.

TDP chief Naidu asked whether it is not true that a person lost his life while in a queue for onions? "Is it not true that there are serpentine queues? When we are speaking the truth, the ruling party is counter-attacking us," he said, alleging that the government is turning a blind eye to the life of the poor.

Minister Kodali Srivenkateswara Rao reacted strongly to Naidu's remarks and said that Sambi Reddy's family is a well-settled family.

"He daily goes to Rytu bazaar after a morning walk and buys some fresh vegetables. He already had a heart problem, was operated and a stent was placed in his heart. It is unfortunate that he got a heart attack in the bazaar. The TDP leaders pressurised the family of the deceased to say that he died while waiting for onions in the queue. But that did not work out," said Rao.