CPI accuses BJD in potato price hike

Communist Party of India (CPI) today staged a demonstration here accusing the ruling BJD of creating an artificial shortage of potatoes and onions in collusion with traders and thereby causing a price hike.
Activists demonstrated outside the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) office and submitted a memorandum to the commissioner in this connection.
"Prices of potatoes and onions started increasing immediately after the elections in the state ended on April 17... Both these stuffs are now selling at double the price they were sold a week ago," Cuttack district CPI secretary Amarendra Mohanty alleged.
He also alleged that in approval of the BJD, some unscrupulous traders have created an artificial shortage of onions and potatoes and demanded that the administration should immediately intervene to arrest the price hike.

Meanwhile, the district the administration has thrown open its four fair price shops in the city selling potatoes at Rs 13.50/kg. The district collector on the day also met traders in this connection.