Onion prices have been an important political issue: they were regarded as the decisive factor in the 1998 state elections in Delhi and Rajasthan, and were responsible for bringing down the central government in 1980.
In November 2010, unseasonal and excessive rainfall in onion-producing regions such as Nashik in Maharashtra delayed the arrival of onions in markets.
[7] The Times of India, in a back-of-the-envelope calculation alleged[2] that wholesale retailers and speculative traders in New Delhi charged a markup of over 135%, taking in profits of over ₹1,000,000 (US$12,000) a day.
[4] Responding to a call from the opposition, 20,000 people demonstrated on the streets of New Delhi to protest the price rise and corruption in the government.
The protesters included women and children wearing garlands of onions to symbolize inflation in the prices of basic commodities.