UP Agri Minister Denies Pulses Selling Above Rs 100/kg Amid Opposition Critique

Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi asserted on Tuesday that pulses are not being sold for more than Rs 100 per kg. This statement drew criticism from the opposition, who accused the minister of being out of touch with current market prices for commodities like wheat flour and pulses. Shahi made these comments while speaking to reporters in Lucknow about an upcoming regional consultation programme on natural farming and agricultural science scheduled for July 19.

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During the interaction, a journalist questioned the government's claim of a 33% increase in pulse production, pointing out that pulses were recently sold at Rs 200 per kg in the city. Shahi responded, "There is no pulse, which is being sold at Rs 200 per kg anywhere. You are giving this wrong information. There is no pulse available for more than Rs 100 per kg." However, local prices tell a different story: Tuar Arhar daal is priced at Rs 160 per kg, Urad daal at Rs 145 per kg, and Masoor daal at Rs 110 per kg in Lucknow.

Opposition's Reaction to Minister's Statement

The opposition quickly seized on Shahi's remarks to criticise the government. Samajwadi Party's chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, "This statement given by the Agriculture Minister on pulses is a mockery of the people struggling with inflation. In fact, the government itself does not know the price of flour and pulses in the market. In the coming elections, the people will make the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party know the price of flour and pulses by voting against it."

UP Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi also condemned Shahi's comments. He stated, "The BJP leaders and ministers are far from ground reality. They do not understand the pain of the common people. They do not realize how much inflation is troubling the common people." Hindvi further claimed that inflation has tripled during the BJP's decade-long rule at the Centre, making food unaffordable for many.

Minister's Clarification

When reporters pressed him further, Shahi was seen laughing along with his colleague, Minister of State Baldev Singh Aulakh. Later, Shahi clarified his stance by saying, "Look, our job is to increase production. I told you that pulses worth Rs 30,000 crore are still imported every year. Farmer brothers of our country definitely need to become self-sufficient in terms of pulses and oilseed production. We are working in this direction and that is why our production has increased... otherwise pulses would have been even more expensive."

Shahi later reiterated his point when contacted again. He said, "Moong daal costs around Rs 100 per kg. Chana daal costs less than that. There are many types of dal. The journalist had asked me the price of daal; I told him. The rate of Chana daal and Moong daal is around Rs 100."

The opposition's criticism highlights a broader issue of rising inflation affecting everyday essentials like food items. They argue that government officials are disconnected from the realities faced by ordinary citizens struggling with high prices.

The upcoming regional consultation programme on natural farming and agricultural science aims to address some of these issues by focusing on increasing agricultural productivity and reducing dependency on imports.

The opposition believes that such statements from government officials could influence voter sentiment in future elections, as they feel it demonstrates a lack of awareness about public hardships caused by inflation.

This incident underscores the ongoing debate over food prices and inflation in India, with both sides presenting contrasting views on how best to address these challenges.