'What If FM Says She Has Diabetes?': Priyanka Chaturvedi Slams Govt Over Rising Sugar and Onion Prices

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi launched a sharp critique against the central government regarding the persistent rise in essential food prices, specifically targeting the soaring costs of staple commodities like sugar and onions. Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Chaturvedi weaponized a past remark made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to highlight what she described as an indifferent attitude toward household inflation.

Addressing the ongoing economic pressures facing everyday citizens, Chaturvedi remarked:

"The Finance Minister once said that I do not eat onions, so what do I have to do with the prices? It would not be surprising if the Finance Minister says that I am a diabetic and I do not eat sugar, so I do not know what the price of sugar is."

The quote directly references a widely publicized 2019 Lok Sabha session where Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman responded to opposition interruptions about rising onion prices by noting that she belonged to a family that did not consume much onion or garlic. Opposition leaders have repeatedly cited that moment during parliamentary debates over inflation.

Priyanka Chaturvedi argued that while everyday household incomes and employment opportunities remain stagnant, essential food prices continue to surge, burdening middle- and lower-income families. Her comments come amidst broader political debates over food security, inflation management, and commodity price stability ahead of upcoming state assembly elections.