History repeats: BJP in 2013 & Congress in 2019 wear onion garlands to protest price rise
ইতিহাসের পুনরাবৃত্তি : ২০১৩-য় বিজেপি, ২০১৯-এ কংগ্রেস পেয়াজের মালা পরে মূল্যবৃদ্ধির প্রতিবাদ

November 29: It’s usually said that history repeats itself. True to this saying, Assam on Friday witnessed a scene almost similar to one seen during October 2013. The Opposition Congress MLAs in Assam on 29 November went to the ongoing Winter Session of the state Legislative Assembly wearing garlands made of onions. They raised slogans and attacked the BJP-led government for its “empty promises” of “good days” on the 2nd day of the winter session of the Assam Assembly.

They, however, refrained from entering the Floor of the House with the garlands. The Congress MLAs accused the Modi government for skyrocketing prices of onion across the country. They alleged that per quintal onion has been sold in Assam at a range of Rs 6500-7200 and Rs 71-80 per kg. Later talking to media, Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed said, “The prices of all commodities are hitting the roof. But the government is not doing anything to control it.” Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi said that onions which used to come for less than Rs. 40 a kilo have now reached at Rs. 100.

It may be mentioned here that during the Chief Ministership of Congress-led Tarun Gogoi government, BJP leader Bijoya Chakraborty and members of the party’s Mahila Morcha staged a demonstration at Fancy Bazar in Guwahati on 25 October, 2013. The then BJP’s Assam state president, Sarbananda Sonowal, alleged that direct involvement of Congress ministers and MLAs in syndicate has led to price hike of essential commodities in the state.