Mumbai, Aug 22: The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, on Saturday claimed that the Union Government’s ethanol-blended petrol (E20) policy is the primary catalyst for the current supply shortage and sharp rise in domestic sugar prices.

It pointed out that the spike has sparked widespread public dissatisfaction ahead of the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi and Navratri festivals, with retail sugar rates surging by Rs 17 in the last 15 days to reach Rs 65–Rs 70 per kilogram.

The Thackeray camp, in the party mouthpiece Saamana editorial, said that the core issue stems from the diversion of sugarcane towards ethanol manufacturing to meet the government’s target of 20% ethanol-blended petrol. Despite annual sugar production increasing from 25.8 million tonnes last year to 27.6 million tonnes this year, domestic availability remains inadequate to cover total demand alongside ethanol processing commitments.

The editorial said that sugarcane typically processed for refined sugar is increasingly being routed to produce ethanol under government incentives, directly constricting the domestic sugar supply.

“As usual, the ruling authorities have woken up late. Now, the government claims to have taken strict measures against the sugar price hike, tightening rules and restrictions against sugar hoarding. Why do the government’s ‘strict’ and ‘tough’ measures regarding inflation and price hikes always arrive a day late and a dollar short? Why can’t the government foresee that a sugar shortage might occur in the country, causing a price blow to the public?” asked the editorial.

The Saamana editorial characterised recent government measures—such as tightening anti-hoarding limits on traders and proposing ethanol production restrictions—as delayed actions that failed to foresee the market shortfall. According to the editorial, new regulatory limits restrict traders from holding more than 10% excess stock for longer than 15 days. Additionally, plans are underway to import 1 million tonnes of sugar to stabilise domestic supply.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said that if policymakers in government lack the basic foresight to realise that an ethanol policy would cause shortages of sugar and other grains, hitting the public with inflation, they should be deemed unfit to govern. Due to their incompetent governance, not just sugar, but jaggery prices have also skyrocketed. Is this price hike benefiting sugarcane farmers? Not at all; as usual, the profits are going straight into the pockets of traders.

“The price increase is not limited to refined sugar; jaggery (gur) prices have also escalated sharply. Furthermore, the financial benefit of these higher prices is largely accruing to market intermediaries and traders rather than sugarcane farmers. The surge in sugar costs adds to broader inflationary pressures currently impacting household essentials, including fuel, dairy, onions, potatoes, and public transportation fares,” observed the editorial.

The Thackeray camp said that the Modi government confidently boasts about a five-trillion-dollar economy, yet the ‘Vishwaguru’ lacks the simple foresight to see that their own ethanol policy would create a sugar shortage, causing unprecedented price hikes that make the common man’s Ganesh and Navratri festivals bitter.

“The Modi government’s administration operates entirely on guesswork. As a result, a wildfire of price hikes has spread from petrol and diesel to gold and silver, jaggery and sugar to milk, onions, potatoes, and even auto-rickshaws, taxis, and state transport buses. The common man is getting scorched in the process, and this sin belongs entirely to the Modi government, claimed the editorial.

Congress leaders, who have been accompanying Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during his sit-in outside a Delhi police station on Friday, asserted that the agitation will continue till the police registers a fresh First Information Report (FIR) as sought by a purported pellet-gun victim.

LoP Gandhi, who was later joined by Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is staging the sit-in outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police at Delhi’s Parliament Street Police Station, protesting the alleged refusal of the police to register an FIR on a complaint by a student, Sahil Lochab, who the Congress claimed, suffered pellet-gun injuries during last month’s protests demanding education reforms at Jantar Mantar.

Speaking to reporters, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said: “His (Lochab’s) lawyer has demanded the registration of an FIR. This is not some general FIR but rather a strictly defined one, concerning the illegal manner in which police action took place (against Sahil), where pellet guns were used.”Maintaining that their demand has not been accepted yet, he said: “Discussions must be going on. They must have spoken to the Home Secretary, they must have spoken to the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, and ultimately, they have to speak to the Home Minister. But so far, nothing has been conveyed to us.”

“Rahul ji is absolutely clear: Until an FIR is registered, and a new FIR registration number is given, we will not leave from here,” he asserted.Admitting that a general FIR regarding complaints against the alleged police action during the July 20 Parliament march has been registered, Ramesh specified that the pellet gun victim has sought a new FIR.”It is completely unacceptable and condemnable that the BJP is viewing the matter through the lens of polarisation.”Congress MP Kishori Lal Sharma also took part in the agitation.

“This is a very shameful matter. The democratic right of an ordinary citizen states that if any injustice is done to him, an FIR should be registered. But they are not even registering that as the government is scared,” Sharma remarked while speaking to IANS.”The Leader of the Opposition had to come here… Does any investigation take place without registering an FIR? Why is the government scared about the truth coming out regarding who ordered the use of pellet guns? The Home Minister didn’t come to the Parliament and FIRs are also not being registered,” he said.

Congress leader Mukul Wasnik, who was also present at the site, said: “Our fight will continue till the government reveals the truth regarding who ordered the firing of pellet guns on students.”Meanwhile, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari told reporters in Uttar Pradesh that Rahul Gandhi has gone to “secure the right of a victim”.

“The pellet gun was fired on the 20th (of July). Today, it has been over a month, yet no FIR has been filed so far. So, Rahul Gandhi went to file an FIR to seek justice in accordance with the laws of India. Under Indian law—and anywhere in the world—filing an FIR is every victim’s absolute right. He went there to secure the right of a victim, and all of us stand with him in this struggle,” he said.Further, he accused the Centre of “shielding the accused”.In Rajasthan, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said: “Rahul Gandhi is making every effort to ensure that those people get justice…The youths who were hit by pellet guns…Everyone has the right to seek justice…”

The effect of Muharram Fayyaz’s poisonous conspiracy on the Eid Milad-un-Nabi procession
Police’s view on the distribution of food and langar, appeal to adhere to the rules, police and scholars advise in the important meeting of the Khilafat Committee to avoid rush driving including triple seats and superstitions

In view of the Mumbai Eid Milad-un-Nabi (peace be upon him) procession, the Mumbai Police has issued an alert. The poisonous conspiracy of Fayyaz Premji will also affect the procession this year in Muharram-ul-Haram, so the police will be keeping an eye on the distribution of food and langar in the procession. Along with this, the police have appealed to the procession administration and the participants of the procession to refrain from distributing edible items, food and water because it is very difficult to trace and trace who has distributed these items.

Therefore, now the police stations will also register those organizations that distribute food items. This kind of view was expressed by Additional Commissioner Central Region Vikram Di Mane in the Khilafat Committee meeting. He said that it is necessary to take care of the rules and regulations in the procession. If someone If he violates this, action will be taken against him. DJs are completely banned and therefore action will be taken against those who bring DJs. It is the duty of the organizers to explain to those who bring DJs because later they have to be removed and bad moods arise.

Additional Commissioner Shalish South Region said that although the rules and regulations are taken care of in the procession, but despite this, there is a need for effective changes in it. Similarly, the length of the flags and trucks in the procession should also be fixed. Last year, there was a problem near the Parsi statue standing in this matter. In this important meeting of the Khilafat Committee, Hazrat Maulana Moinuddin Ashraf Al-Mu’rif Moin Mian also appealed to the youth to avoid un-Islamic matters and superstitions in the procession, to avoid triple riding on motorcycles and violating other rules, and to avoid revelry. He said that we celebrate the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

In this, we should take care that no one’s feelings are hurt in this procession and heart-wrenching slogans should be avoided. If anyone is found involved in un-Islamic behavior, the administration and the police will take action against him. The participants of the procession should also keep this in mind that the rules and regulations have been fixed and the guiding principles must be followed. In this meeting, Khilafat Committee Working President Sarfaraz Arzoo also addressed the gathering and informed the attendees about the history of Khilafat. In this meeting, MLA Amin Patel, Manoj Jamsatkar, Javed Jinja and Corporator also addressed the gathering. Senior police officers and Senior Police Inspector ACP Tanveer Sheikh were also present in the meeting.