Since countrywide protest is not breaking out; the Government is allowed to have its own way unresistingly---Gurudas Dasgupta

Market is on fire. The rising onion prices boost food inflation to six months high. I had been to the market today, Kolkata Lake Market. Onion is sold at Rs.70, parval at Rs.120, Brinjal at Rs.80, medium rice at Rs.36, wheat is at Rs.22 per kg. Inflation in the vegetable basket as a whole is 77.8. It was 8.17 in August. Food inflation is sky-high. It cannot be attributed to shortfall in production. It is due to market manipulation. Forward trading with advance from some banks and speculation also with bank finance has resulted in a serious distortion of the market affecting as never before the livelihood of the common people. About three years back, Lok Sabha adopted a unanimous resolution calling upon the Government to take effective steps to curb price rise. In the last Session of the Parliament, I initiated a discussion on the economic situation and pointedly asked Mr. P. Chidambaram to spell out his strategy to curb price rise particularly of food articles and also stimulate the economy by counteracting economic slowdown. Mr. Chidambaram, as he is who knows more about criminal law than about the economic fundamentals, did not answer my questions. If a deliberation as recorded in Parliament is looked at, its truthfulness on my comment will be verified.
The country is hopelessly reeling under the impact of inflation and stagnation. The Government only speaks of current account deficit and fiscal discipline. It does not talk about human problems and their distress. It is surprising how a government so non-performing is able to bulldoze its own policies.
During the last several months there has been increase for seven times in the price of petroleum and a talk of increase of diesel and cooking gas prices is in the air. Political bankruptcy of the ruling establishment is making the situation grim every day. I am sad that the countrywide protest is not breaking out; the Government is allowed to have its own way unresistingly.