Congress targets government over rise in commodity prices
The Congress party has criticized the Indian government for rising commodity prices, specifically questioning the impact of ethanol policies on sugar stocks. Party leaders argue that current economic policies are failing to protect household budgets from inflation.
Why it matters
The debate reflects broader political tensions regarding the trade-offs between green energy policies and food security/inflation management.
The Congress on Saturday (August 22, 2026) accused the Narendra Modi government of failing to contain the rise in prices of essential commodities, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge questioning whether the diversion of sugarcane and grain for ethanol production under the E20 policy was contributing to rising sugar prices.
In a post on X, Mr. Kharge said sugar stocks were at a nine-year low even as prices had risen sharply ahead of the festival season. He asked why India, the world’s largest sugar producer and exporter, had reached a situation where exports had to be halted and one million tonnes of sugar imported duty-free.
“Why is the sugar stock in India… at its lowest level in nine years today?” he asked, questioning who was responsible for the rise in prices and whether the E20 policy should now be reviewed.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in