By TC News Desk
Agartala, 28th September 2024: Pradesh Congress President Asish Kumar Saha on Saturday accused the BJP-led three-party coalition government of deceiving the public with their announcement of free sugar, flour, and semolina during the upcoming ‘Durga Puja’ festival. Saha issued a notification on Saturday demanding the immediate withdrawal of the increased sugar prices.
“The government has announced that it will provide one kilogram of sugar, two kilograms of flour, and 500 grams of semolina per ration card free of cost before Puja,” Saha stated. “They claim this initiative will cost ₹6.84 crore, funded by departmental resources.”
However, Saha alleges that this seemingly generous gesture masks a more sinister strategy. “While the government is offering these items for free once, they have simultaneously increased the price of sugar by ₹7 per kilogram,” he revealed. “With 9.83 lakh ration cards in the state, this price hike will generate an additional ₹68.81 lakh per month, amounting to ₹8.25 crore annually from the pockets of the people.”
Saha criticized the government for what he described as a “planned strategic move” to exploit the public. “This decision to cut people’s pockets in the name of free festival rations is nothing short of cheating,” he asserted. He emphasized that the recent floods have already left many residents struggling, and the increased cost of essential ration items is both “inhumane and against public interest.”
“The attempt to fool people is condemnable,” Saha concluded, urging the government to reverse the sugar price hike immediately.
