Delhi BJP workers on Wednesday staged a protest at Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s residence over rising onion prices. BJP state unit president Vijay Goel accused the chief minister of being hand-in-glove with hoarders and black marketeers.

BJP workers took out the protest march from the party national headquarters on Ashoka Road to Dikshit’s residence on Janpath. Holding placards and chanting slogans against Dikshit for not curbing the rise in onion prices, the protesters demanded her resignation. Equipped with water cannon and riot gear, the police barricaded the entire Janpath leading to the Chief Minister’s house and also imposed section 144. The protest, however, concluded peacefully.

Addressing party workers BJP state unit president Vijay Goel said, “The people are very angry and they will not spare her. The BJP will definitely win the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.” He also promised to bring down the prices immediately after BJP comes to power.

Former BJP state unit President Harshavardhan said, “The wholesale markets in Delhi are governed by the government, but it has done nothing to ensure enough supply of onions to the city markets and thereby check skyrocketing prices. This insensitive government is not bothered about the hardships faced by the common people. The people of Delhi are fed up.”

Former Delhi mayor and BJP’s national secretary Aarti Mehra said, “People of Delhi are already facing lots of hardship due to increase in costs of electricity, water, pulses and food grains. It is estimated that average household budget in Delhi has gone up by 40% in the past one year. The onions are now proving to be proverbial last straw on the camel’s back.”