NEW DELHI: Amid spike in sugar prices, Congress Thursday alleged the crisis hides a ‘scam’ of Rs 35,000 crore by governing BJP to help black marketeers rake in money during the festival season. It said the “beneficiaries” may funnel part of the gains back to the party as donation and claimed diversion of 32% sugarcane for E20 petrol is another reason for the crisis.Congress spokesperson and MP Randeep Surjewala alleged govt artificially created the crisis as it knew the country had a sugar shortfall of 30 lakh MT at the year’s start but did nothing to address the situation. He said sugar mills association had said production was 275 lakh MT in 2025-26, even though govt claimed it would be 343 lakh MT.He said govt sat quietly from May to Aug as sugar prices shot up from Rs 40 a kg to Rs 75 closer to the festival season. He said govt’s import order in late Aug to bring in 10 lakh MT from Brazil is hogwash as the said sugar will only reach the country well after the festival season.
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Indians are going to face a bitter festival season while BJP is rubbing salt to their wounds by saying the sugar shortage would help control diabetes and weight problem of the population, he said.The MP said sugar consumption during the festival season is 30 lakh MT per month, which from Aug till Diwali will be 120 lakh MT. “Sellers would gain an additional Rs 36,000 crore, which would be a direct loss to the consumers,” he said, adding, “What can be a bigger nexus between govt and business.”
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