The statement of BJP vice-president Prabhat Jha over the rising tomato prices has stirred a controversy, providing the Opposition in Madhya Pradesh some more ammo to step up its attack on the ruling party.
Jha, while talking to media persons here on Tuesday at his residence, said, "Tomato is the food of the wealthy people and the Government could not be held responsible for its rising prices."
Jha further said that tomato is not consumed by the poor and no Government could be made responsible for the rising prices of tomato. "Potato, onions, wheat, rice and even lPG is cheap. The tomato crops are now hit by the rains. It was sold at just Rs2 to 6 per kg about a couple of months back. It would return to that similar price after two months," he added.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress that is always looking for issues against the ruling BJP got another one in Jha's statement.
leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Satyadev Katare immediately reacted over BJP vice-president's statement. Katare in his statement over the issue said, "Jha's statement over rising commodity prices and rising tomato prices is a mockery of the common man and the poor of the State."
Katare further said that the BJP leaders who were supposed to control the prices of tomato and other vegetables are making insulting comments against the people. If Jha has a little bit of humanity and morality then he should immediately seek pardon from the people of the State, he added.
However, Jha is known to remain in the spotlight for his statements in the political and media circles of the State. On earlier occasions his statement that stirred controversies include the one in which he said that BSF and CRPF jawans are dacoits.
On one occasion he shocked his party leaders by stating that the late leader Pyarelal Khandelwal was a smoker. His statements that created controversies also include making mockery of Congress leader KP Singh and calling Congressmen
as garbage.