JD(U), BJP trade charges after salt sells for Rs 150 a kg in Bihar

Believe it or not, salt was selling at an exorbitant Rs 150 per kg in parts of Bihar amid rumours of an acute shortage of the essential ingredient of food. The state government rebutted the rumours on Thursday.

Zee Media Bureau

Patna: Believe it or not, salt was selling at an exorbitant Rs 150 per kg in parts of Bihar amid rumours of an acute shortage of the essential ingredient of food. The state government rebutted the rumours on Thursday.

Following rumours, the three persons were arrested. The state Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Shyam Rajak blamed opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for it.

“Three persons were arrested for spreading rumours about shortage of salt after he directed officials of the affected districts to probe the situation and crack down on the hoarders,” Rajak said.

"An unsubstantiated rumour has spread in Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Samastipur and Madhubani districts about shortage of salt in the market due to reduced supply of the commodity from Gujarat prompting the consumers to panic and buy it for Rs 70 per kg at some places," he told reporters at a hurriedly convened press conference.

According to reports, people in nearly a dozen districts, including Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga,Begusarai,Sitamarhi, Saharsa,Samastipur, Madhubani, Sheohar, have since Wednesday bought salt at Rs 50-150 per kg after rumours spread that salt will be out of market soon.

Raecting to Razak’s statement BJP leader Rameshwar Chaurasia refuted Razak`s statement, while saying that the JD-U has become habituated to blame the BJP for everything.

According to officials, salt mostly comes to Bihar from Gujarat.

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