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Sushma Swaraj swings into action in Delhi, says all's OK

Chief Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday evening that the salt position in the capital has become normal in less than 24 hours following the swift action taken by the official agencies.

The control room set up by the Delhi administration to monitor and regulate salt availability has received hardly any complaints till this evening and it clearly indicated that the position was normal and the rumour-mongers have failed, she said.

She condemned the move for a salt march by the Congress and blamed the dirty tricks department of the Congress for spreading rumours on salt shortage compelling people to resort to panic buying. She said the Congress leaders knew that there was no shortage of salt and they should not have allowed the move for a salt march.

She said the rumours about salt shortage were reported from the same areas which reported dropsy cases. This clearly established the nexus between the ''mafia in Congress'' and these incidents, she said.

Swaraj said within minutes of getting reports of salt shortage in some areas of East Delhi she talked to the Lieutenant Governor to direct the Police Commissioner to book rumour-mongers and the shopkeepers who sold salt at a higher price. Soon after a number of people were arrested in Kalkaji, Seemapuri and other areas.

A high-level meeting was convened in the afternoon and reviewed the stock position. ''There is plenty of stock for several months and this was communicated to the people through the electronic media. The assurance given to the people about the availability of salt and the crack-down on rumour-mongers and hoarders put an end to panic buying and brought the position back to normal in less than 24 hours,'' she said describing the action as efficient crisis-management.

Asked why no such steps were taken in the case of onion traders and hoarders, she said there was no hoarding of onions in the capital, which was only a trading place for onions. She said the import of onions under Open General Licence and the sale of this perishable commodity through 70 outlets and 230 Safal centres have started bringing down its price.

UNI

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