'Everyone has diabetes': Bihar minister says sugar price rise won’t matter much
A Bihar minister sparked controversy by suggesting that rising sugar prices are not a major concern because many people are diabetic and should reduce their sugar intake. The opposition criticized the statement as insensitive to the economic struggles of the common citizen.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the tension between government officials and the public regarding inflation and the cost of living, particularly when officials appear dismissive of economic hardships.
PATNA: Amid the price of sugar rising over the last one week, Bihar rural development department (RDD) minister from the JD(U) quota in the Samrat Choudhary-led NDA government, Shrawan Kumar, on Friday sprung a surprise by claiming that the trend is unlikely to have much impact, as people, in any case, have become cautious about their sugar intake due to increasing number of pre-diabetic and diabetic cases.“Due to increasing cases of diabetic patients, people are not taking sweets. They take less sweets,” Kumar said, adding: “Everyone seem to be suffering from diabetes. I don’t think the rise in the price of sugar will make much of a difference.”His claim, made before reporters on Friday, immediately went viral on social media platforms.
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