NEW DELHI: Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president Harsh Vardhan has demanded that Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit immediately constitute a cell to control the increase in prices of vegetables, particularly onions, and curb hoarding and black-marketing.

In a statement here, Dr. Vardhan said that following the increase in prices of diesel and petrol, almost all the essential commodities of general use had become costlier by 35 per cent. With the prices rising in the name of increase in freight, he said, the common man was finding it difficult to make both ends meet.

Stating that onions were selling at Rs. 20 per kg and potatoes at Rs. 15 per kg even today, the BJP leader said the prices of seasonal vegetables and food-grains were also touching new highs. The onions made available at government outlets at subsidised prices were rotten and of such inferior standard that it poses a threat to the health of those who consume them.

Calling upon the Chief Minister to verify the truth by inspecting any Mother Dairy booth without announcing it beforehand, he said when in September 1998 onions had become costlier the then Congress leaders used to put garlands of onions around their necks and walk the streets protesting against the then BJP regime. But now when not only onions but also vegetables, food-grains and edible oil were all selling at high prices, he wondered why no one was expressing concern over the situation.

The BJP chief also alleged that large scale black-marketing of cooking gas cylinders in Delhi was taking place and claimed that as against the listed price of Rs. 295, people were being forced to shell out as much as Rs. 600 per cylinder.

Also, he charged that people were not being supplied gas even after 30 days of booking. "All this has happened due to the conspiracy of the Petroleum Minister as due to many unreasonable orders, the quota of 40 lakh cooking gas consumers has been reduced to 30 lakh consumers only,'' he alleged.

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