Zeenews Bureau
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday joined the bandwagon criticising Union Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for failing to curb price rise and putting the onus on states to rein in inflation.
Mayawati even threatened to boycott the Chief Ministers’ meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 27 to discuss price rise, if Pawar is not removed from the Council of Ministers.
Mayawati accused the minister of spreading wrong information on rising prices, and instead blamed Pawar’s statements for causing price rise.
The UP CM’s warning came hours after Pawar warned of milk shortage in northern India, saying states will have to decide on the demand for price rise to ensure procurement.
Recalling that some of the states had taken a decision in October to hike prices, he said at a ministers` conference on milk productivity that "unless there is a decision (on prices), I do not know whether the states will be able to procure (milk) to meet the demand."
"We are facing insufficient availability of milk, especially in northern India. In October, we had taken a decision on prices. Today, there is a demand that we should hike the prices".
Branded full-cream milk such as Amul and Mother Dairy is selling in the retail market for Rs 28 per litre in Delhi. Dairy cooperatives are pressing for an increase in rates citing problems they face in procuring milk.
Pawar, who is already under attack from his political opponents over surging prices of sugar that breached Rs 50 a kg at retail counters, however dismissed suggestions that he was for immediate hike in milk prices.
