As sugar prices rise, the Nationalist Congress Party on Sunday offered a solution — consume less sugar, as “no one dies from not eating sugar.”
“On the other hand, [by] eating sweet items diabetes increases. So, it is not necessary that everyone consumes sugar,” said Rashtravadi, the NCP mouthpiece, in an editorial.
“Doctors say that eating excess sugar and salt is akin to [taking] poison,” said the magazine whose managing editor is NCP State unit president Madhukar Pichad. The magazine is edited by former journalist Sudhir Bhongale.
The NCP, whose chief Sharad Pawar has come under fire over the rise in sugar prices, quickly distanced itself from the report.
“The remark is his [Mr. Pichad’s] personal view. The NCP has nothing to do with it,” State NCP spokesman Gurunath Kulkarni said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party questioned the remark. “The BJP would want to know an answer from the government, especially Mr. Pawar and his party. What do they mean by making such remarks when people are already suffering due to high prices,” senior BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said in New Delhi.
The editorial also said that the total expenditure on sugar and food items is comparatively less — around 10 to 12 per cent.
“The expenditure is on cosmetics, vehicles, fuel, entertainment, hobbies and luxury items, but no one says a word about the rising prices of these items. Why is sugar considered an essential commodity,” the editorial asked.
