Chaos created in many districts of Bihar on Thursday as people were in panic over buying the salt (namak). As per reports people had thronged in large numbers to shops for buying salt, which was sold between Rs. 100 and Rs. 150 by many shopkeepers. Actually the rumor spread about shortage of salt in the market due to reduced supply of the commodity from Gujarat that left the consumers in panic and prompted them to buy it for Rs 100 per kg at some places.
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| Salt Rumor |
Further, the rumour was spread by some anti-social elements and stockiest that salt would not be available in market after some time and rates would go up to Rs. 300 per kilo in few days. Without verifying the news spread through rumor, people in districts of Purnia division, and many other districts like Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Samastipur and Madhubani bought packets and packets of salt as much as possible according to their budget.
By the evening the situation in many districts become worst, and district administration appealed to people for not giving ear to the rumor. However, hardly the people cared about the appeal of administration and bought salt for storing purpose till the late night. Even in district headquarters of Kishanganj people had bought salt in huge volume and felt themselves lucky to ensure the salt for preparing their food. However, sensing the grieving situation the state food and consumer affairs minister Shyam Rajak blamed the opposition BJP for spreading the rumor. Rajak lashed out at BJP for spreading the rumour to destabilize the JD(U) government in Bihar.
Few persons were arrested by people for spreading the rumor about shortage of salt. The arrested persons have been booked under provisions of Essential Commodities Act and were being interrogated by local police officers. In the mean time, the food and consumers department officers made public announcements about abundant availability of salt in the market at prescribed rates.
This is very surprising and sad as well that in today’s techno-friendly world especially in India when information can be easily gathered from various sources, the rumor got immediate action from people. Instead of verifying the truth, people ran to their nearest grocery shop to buy salt as much as possible. On the same time, shame on stockiest and shop-keepers for selling the common eatable ‘salt’ at the high price of Rs. 100 per kg against the MRP Rs. 10.
