Criticising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's advice not to politicise the issue of price rise, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Monday when high price of essential commodities hit people hard then it was the responsibility of the political parties to raise the issue and the ruling party to address it.
"The people are hard hit whenever prices are increased and the ruling party has to resolve it," Kumar who was here to attend a wedding, told newsmen in Ranchi.
Reminding the politicisation of high onion price during the National Democratic A government in 1998, Kumar said whenever there was price rise political parties had to raise the issue to resolve it in the interest of people.
Dismissing Finance Minister P Chidambaram's attribution to hoarding and alleged cartelisation of steel companies leading to the price rise, Kumar claimed there was no question of hoarding in environment of free market, adding it was the Centre's responsibility to take action by breaking steel cartels.
Accusing the Centre of failing to keep foodgrain godowns filled, Kumar also alleged that the public distribution system during the United Progressive Alliance government had broken down.
Criticising the Centre for allotting just 1,000 tonnes of food grains for the people living below poverty line, Bihar chief minister assailed, the Manmohan Singh government for allegedly failing to curb not only food price but also of steel and cement.
Inflation, the silent killer
© 2026