After weeks I ate oinions today, says Sheila Dikshit

New Delhi: "After weeks I ate onions today with 'bhindi' (lady finger)," Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said, admitting that the skyrocketing price of the vegetable had affected her kitchen too.Dikshit's comments came at a press conference at her official residence on Saturday where she explained various measures taken by her government to contain prices of onion, which has been selling for as high as Rs 100 per kg.The BJP immediately hit out at Dikshit, calling her remark a "white lie"."Dikshit is telling a lie. She knows people of Delhi are angry with her government because of high onion prices and it will impact the Congress in the elections. That is why she is trying to be emotional," senior Delhi BJP leader Vijender Gupta said."The comments also reflected her inability to contain the onion price. In a way she has given a message that if the price of a vegetable or commodity is high, do not eat it," said the former Delhi BJP president.In her briefing, the Chief Minister said people have been affected by high prices of the kitchen staple and exuded confidence that the rates will come down significantly in the next few days as a number of steps are being initiated by her government.Both BJP and Aam Admi Party have been attacking Dikshit over rocketing onion prices which is selling between Rs 80 to 100 across the city.Concerned over possible impact of rocketing onion prices on Congress' electoral fortune, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said her government has taken a string of measures to contain the rates and the effect will be visible in the next couple of days.Dikshit, who had come to power defeating the then BJP government in 1998 riding on high onion prices, said the government will start selling onions at Rs 55 a kg across the city from Monday by deploying 125 mobile vans and people will be able to buy upto 100 kgs.The Election Commission yesterday had given its nod to Delhi government's request to distribute onions at cheaper rates."Onion prices will see a fall in the next 2-3 days. We have taken a number of measures to provide relief to the people from high onion prices," Dikshit said addressing a press conference along with her cabinet colleagues Harun Yusuf, Raj Kumar Chouhan and Arvinder Singh.Dikshit said arrival of onion in the city from various onion-producing states has improved following her meeting with Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Food Minister K V Thomas on Thursday."We are doing everything possible to contain the rise in onion prices. Ours is a sensitive government and that is why we are concerned about hike in rates," Dikshit said.Asked whether export of onion should be banned, Dikshit said if such a step helps easing the price situation, then Centre should consider it."I think Food Ministry is thinking of banning export of onions. I cannot say with certainty, but I guess it should be banned, if it helps stabilise the market," she said.Onion is selling between Rs 80 to 100 per kg in most of the retail markets in the city.On overall increase in prices of vegetable and fruits, Dikshit said the rates usually go up this time of the season and claimed that the prices will come down soon."We are moving from summer to winter vegetables. So there will be some alterations in prices of vegetables," she said.Asked whether she was worried about possible impact of high onion prices in the election outcome, she rejected comparison between high onion prices in 1998 and now.The BJP in 1998 assembly had lost power and its defeat is attributed to high onion prices.Food and Supplies Minister Harun Yusuf said 1600 tonnes of onion arrived in Delhi today from various onion producing states.Yusuf said traders have been selling onions through 55 mobile vans across the city at reasonable price for the last three days and the number of vans have been increased to 80 today."From Monday the sale would be available at around 600 places in the city. The vans would also be deployed on Sunday. Onion has been made available at Rs 55 a kg," he said.To mitigate the effect of soaring onion prices, Delhi government had last month started selling onions at reasonable rates through 50 mobile vans across the city, but discontinued it when the prices came down.On BJP's attack on Delhi government on the issue of onion prices, PWD Minister Chouhan, who also looks after functioning of various wholesale vegetable markets in the city said, one cannot make any comparison between prices of onion in 1998 and now."In 1998, onion prices had touched Rs 100. There is a lot of difference between Delhi then and Delhi now. There is no comparison between the prices then and now," he said.Chouhan blamed hoarding of onion in Uttar Pradesh, Maharastra and Madhya Pradesh for rise in its prices."No hoarding is taking place in Delhi. We cannot conduct raid in other states," he said.Yusuf said market intelligence wing of Food and Civil Supplies department has been keeping a close watch on traders to ensure that hoarding does not take place in Delhi.