VPP president Ardent M. Basaiawmoit today said that despite the government claims that it has set the prices of essential commodities, the ground reality is something different.
He was speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the VPP gathering at Malki Ground here to protest against rising prices of essential commodities in the State.
“Citizens of the State are not able to eat nutritious food since the cost of meat and vegetables have skyrocketed and are out of the reach of the common man. We have to eat only rice and salt. How can we get nutrition for our body?” Basaiawmoit said.
The VPP chief said that the party has collected data of prices of essential commodities from neighbouring states of Assam, Nagaland and Mizoram and the disparity is stark.
According to him, the data collected by the party in August 2024 showed that the price of rice set by the State government is Rs. 45 per kg but it is being sold at Rs. 50 in the market. Similarly, mustard oil as per government rate should be Rs. 150 but is being sold at Rs. 180 in the market.
He pointed out that the same mustard oil is sold at Rs. 155 in Nagaland’s Mokokchung town and Rs. 140 in Assam.
“For refined cooking oil, the State government has set a price of Rs. 130 but it is being sold at Rs. 150 in the market. The same refined oil in Assam is being sold at Rs. 110 and in Mokokchung at Rs. 128,” Basaiawmoit said.
He said that pork in Nagaland’s Mokokchung is being sold at Rs. 350 per kilo while in Assam the price is Rs. 380. However, in Meghalaya pork is sold at Rs. 480 per kilo.
Beef in Mokokchung is sold at the rate of Rs. 300 per kilo, and in Assam at Rs. 270 per kilo. In Meghalaya, beef costs Rs. 500 per kilo.
He also informed that the party would write to the State government to demand for effective steps to reduce the prices of essential commodities and how to curb inflation which is affecting the common man.
“If the State government does not listen to the problems of the common man then the VPP will have no choice but to hit the streets,” Basaiawmoit said.
“Today’s sit-in demonstration is the first of many other forms of protest the VPP will undertake if the State government turns a blind eye to the issue of price rise,” he added.
Basaiawmoit also said that the government should answer as to why the farmers of the State are selling their vegetables at throwaway prices whereas the consumers are buying them at inflated rates.
Pointing out that hike in prices of beef in Meghalaya is not due to shortage of the meat but due to daily smuggling of cattle to Bangladesh, Basaiawmoit also said that the rise in prices of essential commodities is due to the presence of check gates and extortion along the highway.
Calling upon the consumers to be proactive and raise their voice, he said, “The reason why the businessmen take advantage of the public in our State is because we allow them to dictate us and our apathy towards inflation.”
