Onion traders, who had threatened an indefinite strike to protest against Income Tax raids directed at them, called off their agitation after meeting Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at her residence on Wednesday. Ms. Dikshit is learnt to have assured them that their grievances would be looked into and the matter would be taken up with the revenue authorities.
The traders from Azadpur, Ghazipur and Keshopur subzi mandis during their meeting with the Chief Minister said that they were perturbed because of the Income Tax raids as these were only causing harassment to them. Denying that they had any role to play in the rising prices of onion or garlic, the traders said there was no hoarding of onions taking place in Delhi.
After getting the assurance from Ms. Dikshit that their problems would be looked into, the traders called off their agitation and said that they would also work towards lowering the prices of onion in the Capital.
Earlier in the day, there was no trading of onions at the Azadpur wholesale vegetable market. The strike call also had a partial effect at the Ghazipur and Keshopur wholesale markets, while the traders of the Okhla wholesale market stayed away from the agitation.
Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf said the trading was low to begin with because many of the suppliers did not come to Delhi as they knew about the strike call. Later, however, he said about 220 tons of onion reached the Azadpur market by 2-20 p.m.
The Minister said Mother Dairy outlets also began sale of onions at Rs 39 per kg during the day. They had procured this onion at a subsidized rate from NAFED, which along with National Consumers' Cooperative Federation, was also selling the commodity at Rs 35 per kg at its own outlets.
