Vegetable seller in Varanasi keeps bouncers to protect tomatoes (WATCH)

Vegetables, much like gold and silver, have become increasingly unaffordable for the common man these days. The prices of vegetables, especially tomatoes, have reached astonishing heights, causing people to shy away from purchasing them. Even after haggling, tomatoes have become out of reach for ordinary individuals. The situation has become so dire that in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh, a vegetable vendor has resorted to employing two bouncers solely for the protection of tomatoes.

A vegetable seller in the Lanka area of Varanasi has gained significant attention due to this peculiar arrangement. The appointment of two bouncers is solely to safeguard tomatoes, which currently hold the title of the most expensive vegetable. 

Ajay Fauji, the vegetable vendor, explains that customers often become agitated during transactions, leading to frequent arguments. To avoid these daily confrontations over pricing, he has hired two bouncers.

The vegetable seller is also an active member of the Samajwadi Party. Previously, on Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav's birthday, he had cut a cake shaped like a tomato in Varanasi.

The vendor reveals that there used to be a heated argument with customers regarding tomato prices on a daily basis. Sometimes, customers would become furious. To counter these escalating debates, he decided to deploy uniformed bouncers at his shop.

Fauji states that currently, tomatoes are priced at Rs 140-160 per kilogram. The bouncers are stationed at the cart from 9 am to 5 pm, although he did not disclose the payment details for the bouncers.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has also expressed concern over the soaring tomato prices. He tweeted a video related to the vendor and his bouncers, humorously suggesting that tomatoes should be provided with "Z-plus" security, a reference to high-level security protection, akin to what is given to politicians, specifically targeting the BJP.