Congress Distributes Sugar Sachets, Protests Rising Sugar Prices In MP’s Piplia Mandi

Piplia Mandi (Madhya Pradesh): Congress workers, led by district Congress general secretary Anil Sharma, staged a unique protest in the Bagri Basti of Amarpura on Friday against rising inflation.

Workers distributed small sachets of sugar to residents to express opposition to escalating prices.

Congress leaders stated that inflation has eroded household budgets of poor and middle-class families, alleging that following price increases in essential commodities such as edible oil and pulses, rising sugar prices have further compounded hardships for the common man.

Targeting the BJP government at the Centre and the Mohan Yadav government in the state, Anil Sharma said farmers, labourers, the poor, and businessmen are all suffering due to inflation, blaming government policies for the price rise.

He also questioned the government's ethanol policy, claiming widespread diversion of sugarcane for ethanol production has affected sugar prices.

During the protest, sachets distributed carried slogans including "Sugar is out of reach of the poor, sugar has reached 75," "If Modi is there, it's possible," and "Inflation is a witch, it eats us up."

Shyamlal Malviya Chawali, block president of the Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Organisation, said rising prices of diesel, petrol, and cooking gas have increased the financial burden on poor and middle-class families, alleging that government policies are causing distress to the public.

City president Bheru Pappu Gurjar, Congress leader Chhotelal Saini, Kishore Tailor Kangatti, Rakesh Chandravanshi and other party workers were present.

Sugar prices double

Udaygarh: The morning cup of tea now carries a bitter aftertaste - inflation. Sugar, priced at Rs 40-45 per kg four months ago, has surged to Rs 75-80 per kg, jumping from Rs 55 in just a week.

Jaggery too has climbed from Rs 60 to Rs 90-100 per kg, making it the talk of Friday's weekly market.

Homemaker Durga Parmar says rising milk, gas, and oil prices are already straining budgets; sugar's spike will force families to cut consumption. Purnima Ajnar worries about costlier festive sweets and 'kheer'.

Tea-stall owner Rakesh Jamod says rising gas, leaves, and sugar costs make selling tea at Rs 5 unsustainable. Devendra Rathore says vendors must now choose between shrinking quantity or raising prices.

Traders blame ethanol diversion, low stocks, and festive demand, while consumers suspect hoarding by big players.

Though the Centre imposed stock limits from Aug 1 and allowed duty-free import of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar on Aug 20, prices keep climbing - squeezing the common household budget further this festive season.