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Congress Accuses BJP of 35‑Crore Sugar Scam

Congress lawmakers claimed the rising sugar price spike is a 35‑crore‑rupee scam orchestrated by the ruling BJP to profit black‑market traders during the festive season. The party said the government knew of a 30‑lakh‑metric‑tonne shortfall at the start of the year but did nothing to remedy it. Congress MP Randeep Surjewala cited a 32 per cent diversion of sugarcane for E20 petrol as another factor behind the shortage. He noted that sugar mills had projected 275 lakh metric tonnes for 2025‑26, while the government had promised 343 lakh. Surjewala said the government remained silent from May to August as prices leapt from ₹40 to ₹75 per kilogram. He criticised the August import order of 10 lakh tonnes from Brazil, calling it “hogwash” because the sugar would arrive after the festival period. The MP warned that consumers would lose an estimated ₹36,000 crore as sellers profit from the artificially created shortage. The allegations add to growing scrutiny of the BJP’s handling of commodity prices ahead of Diwali.

· The Times of India

The essential points

  1. 01Congress alleges BJP engineered a 35‑crore‑rupee sugar scam to aid black‑market traders
  2. 02Government knew of a 30‑lakh‑tonne sugar shortfall yet took no action
  3. 0332% of sugarcane diverted for E20 petrol, worsening supply gaps
  4. 04Import order of 10 lakh tonnes from Brazil deemed ineffective before Diwali

The full brief

Congress lawmakers claimed the rising sugar price spike is a 35‑crore‑rupee scam orchestrated by the ruling BJP to profit black‑market traders during the festive season. The party said the government knew of a 30‑lakh‑metric‑tonne shortfall at the start of the year but did nothing to remedy it. Congress MP Randeep Surjewala cited a 32 per cent diversion of sugarcane for E20 petrol as another factor behind the shortage.

He noted that sugar mills had projected 275 lakh metric tonnes for 2025‑26, while the government had promised 343 lakh. Surjewala said the government remained silent from May to August as prices leapt from ₹40 to ₹75 per kilogram. He criticised the August import order of 10 lakh tonnes from Brazil, calling it “hogwash” because the sugar would arrive after the festival period.

The MP warned that consumers would lose an estimated ₹36,000 crore as sellers profit from the artificially created shortage. The allegations add to growing scrutiny of the BJP’s handling of commodity prices ahead of Diwali.