Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Amid criticism from opposition parties over rising sugar prices ahead of the festive season, Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya on Wednesday said sugar should become very expensive, adding that people above the age of 40 should completely avoid consuming it.
He claimed that 90 per cent of people do not like sweets these days and said he himself does not eat them.
Speaking to reporters in Indore, the BJP leader claimed that sugar prices were steadily falling.
“Anyway, 90 per cent of people don’t like sweets these days. Let me tell you, I don’t eat sweets at all,” he said.
In a lighter vein, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said, “I say that sugar should become very expensive.
It should be available at affordable rates at government fair-price shops only for children. The elderly should not be given sugar at all.”
Vijayvargiya said doctors, particularly Ayurvedic practitioners, do not consider sugar consumption advisable for people above the age of 40.
“If you are over 40, you can eat jaggery occasionally, but avoid sugar completely,” he said.
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari seized upon Vijayvargiya’s remarks to target the ruling BJP over rising sugar prices.
He said BJP leaders, who came to power promising to reduce inflation, were insulting and ridiculing the poor and middle class with their “absurd” statements about sugar.
“The country is watching BJP leaders. People will give a befitting reply to their laughter in the upcoming elections. Then we will see whether they retain their smiles or shed tears,” Patwari said.
Opposition parties have been targeting the Centre over increased ethanol blending in petrol, alleging that the policy is pushing up sugar prices and imposing an additional financial burden on consumers.
The government has rejected the allegations and instead blamed the industry for raising prices despite the country having sufficient stocks to meet domestic demand.
Sugar prices increased for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, rising by more than ₹1 per kg in the retail market amid higher festive demand, according to government data.
Retail sugar prices remain high despite a nearly 20 per cent decline in ex-mill rates following the government’s decision to permit the import of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar.
According to data compiled by the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Price Monitoring Division, the all-India average retail price of sugar stood at ₹65.05 per kg on August 26, compared with ₹63.97 per kg on Tuesday.
