With the rumour mill going on overdrive on Friday over shortage of salt following the purported closure of the salt manufacturing factories based in Gujarat, triggering panic buying in Uttarakhand as well as elsewhere in the country, State BJP president Ajay Bhatt asked the people not to resort to panic buying spurred by a rumour unfurled to defame the Centre.
Holding the Congress responsible for the matter, he said the party leaders, upset with the Narendra Modi Government's bold policy decisions, are spawning rumours. He requested the District Magistrates to clamp down heavily on those hoarding salt with a profiteering motive while adding that the mess was continuing in the State with the connivance of the State Government.
The BJP leader further warned that in case the State Government does not take action they would stage a sit-in against it. "I want to make it categorically clear that there is no shortage of salt anywhere. There is thus no reason to go for panic buying," he said, adding that those indulging in rumour mongering should be sternly dealt with. Meanwhile, the State food and civil supply secretary Anand Vardhan said categorically that there is no shortage of salt in the State. He asked the people to desist from panic buying of salt. "However, the administration will lodge FIRs against the shopkeepers if they are caught selling salt at a price higher than the MRP," he added.