Vendetta politics: Congress slams PM Modi over 2023 decision on sale of rice to state govts
New Delhi, Jul 5: The Congress on Friday alleged "vendetta politics" on part of the Modi government for refusing to sell adequate rice to implement the 'Anna Bhagya Guarantee' in Karnataka last year and asked whether he would apologise to the people for "obstructing" their elected state government from implementing its schemes.
Congress general secretary, in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh said evidence has emerged showing that Narendra Modi's "vendetta-driven" decision not only deprived the people of Karnataka of an additional 5 kg of rice through the 'Anna Bhagya Guarantee', but also increased India's food subsidy bill by tens of thousands of crores.
He alleged that the PM's "vendetta politics", aimed at obstructing the Congress and non-BJP state governments from implementing their programmes, has corroded India's federal system and cost the Indian taxpayer.
"On June 13, 2023, the Modi government stopped selling rice to state governments under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic), reversing the Food Corporation of India's orders to Karnataka issued the day before," Ramesh said in a statement.
"This irrational policy was undertaken with the sole intention of disrupting the Karnataka government's Anna Bhagya Scheme, which doubles the quota of rice available to each individual entitled to grain under the National Food Security Act (2013)," he said.
With the Modi government refusing to sell the state adequate rice to implement the scheme, it was only the Karnataka government's determination and pro-activeness that allowed it to continue the scheme, through a cash transfer of Rs 170 per month for each eligible beneficiary to defray expenses for purchasing 5 kg of rice, Ramesh said.
"The claims made by the Modi government last year -- of depleted rice stocks owing to poor monsoon and high prices -- to justify its discontinuation of the sale of rice through OMSS(D) scheme were blatantly false," he claimed.
In reality, as revealed by a media report, the government is storing 50 million tonnes of rice, three times the required buffer of 13.54 million tonnes, he claimed.
"It costs the FCI Rs 3,975 to buy, transport and stock one quintal (100 kg) of rice. With the Budget looming, the government has finally woken up to the huge cost imposed by the non-biological Prime Minister's vendetta politics – and has finally decided to resume rice sales to states," Ramesh said.
"Will the non-biological prime minister, who withdrew his 'Aashirwaad' to Karnataka after the state voted in a Congress government in May 2023, apologise to the 6.5 crore people of Karnataka for disrespecting their mandate and obstructing their democratically elected state government from implementing its schemes?" Ramesh said.
Will the prime minister apologise to the tax-payers of India, for inflating the food bill subsidy by an estimated Rs 16000- Rs 18000 crore, by stopping the sale of excess rice stock to Karnataka and other states, he asked.
Will the 17 BJP MPs and the 2 JD(S) MPs elected from Karnataka, and the Cabinet Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, also from Karnataka, seek fair compensation from the government of India for the injustice done to the poorest of poor in Karnataka, Ramesh asked.
Our statement on the non-biological PM's reversal of stance on the sale of rice to State Governments.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 5, 2024
His vendetta politics, aimed at obstructing the Congress and non-BJP State Governments from implementing their programs, has corroded India's federal system and cost the Indian… pic.twitter.com/7HavLDdaSP
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Retired Army man killed in Kota; wife, aide held
Kota (Raj) (PTI): A 45-year-old retired Army man was allegedly strangled to death in Kota city in a conspiracy hatched by his wife with her lover and his friend, police said on Saturday.
The incident took place in the Avani Road area under the RK Puram police station limits on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.
The deceased, identified as Manoj Kumar Sharma, a native of Kishangarh in Ajmer, had been living with his family in Kota for several years. He worked as a clerk in the Ajmer electricity department after retiring from the Indian Army five years ago.
The police said the accused were preparing to perform the last rites on Friday morning without informing Sharma's parents, who live in Kishangarh. However, the neighbours grew suspicious and informed them. The parents reached Kota on Friday afternoon, stopped the cremation and lodged a complaint against the deceased's wife, Deepika (40), her lover Devesh and his friend Vishnu.
The police found strangulation marks on the body, indicating foul play, Circle Inspector of the local police station Sidharth Shrivastav told reporters on Saturday.
During the initial inquiry, it was revealed that Deepika was in a relationship with Devesh, a resident of the Khedli Phatak area in the city, who frequently visited her house in the absence of her husband.
On Thursday night, Sharma, Devesh and his friend Vishnu allegedly consumed liquor, during which a scuffle broke out between Sharma and Devesh. Devesh, along with Vishnu, allegedly strangled Sharma to death in Deepika's presence, the CI said.
The couple's children -- daughter (12) and son (14) -- were sent to bed in an upper-storey room at the time of the incident, ASI Brijraj Singh said.
On the complaint of Sharma's father, the police registered a case of murder and criminal conspiracy against the three accused. Two accused have been arrested, while Devesh is absconding, the CI said, adding that two police teams have been formed to trace and arrest him.
Family members of the deceased said relations between Sharma and Deepika had been strained for several years and alleged she frequently assaulted him.
