SAD seeks probe into distribution of food material sent as central relief to Punjab

BJP has also accused Congress government of large-scale irregularities in the distribution of free grain and pulses sent to be distributed among the below poverty line families in the state

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has urged Union consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister Ram Vilas Paswan to depute a central team to investigate the alleged multi-thousand crore scam in the distribution of food material sent as central relief to Punjab and also asked state food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu to express his readiness for the probe, if his hands are clean and he has nothing to fear.

Migrant workers showing empty utensils during a protest against the central and state government as they await ration supply. Anil Sarin, chief spokesperson of the district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accused the Congress government in the state of large-scale irregularities in the distribution of free grain and pulses sent to be distributed among the below poverty line families in the state. (SAMEER SEHGAL/HT FILE PHOTO)

Anil Sarin, chief spokesperson of the district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also accused the Congress government in the state of large-scale irregularities in the distribution of free grain and pulses sent to be distributed among the below poverty line families in the state.

Lambasting Ashu for issuing baseless statements, SAD legislature wing leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon said, “Once an inquiry is conducted into the scam, the massive bungling, in which a large portion of wheat and pulses meant for 1.4 crore people, comprising half of the population of the state, was diverted to Congressmen, will be out in the open. Your false bravado will then crumble and you will have to face the music.”

Dhillon challenged Ashu to come out with a statement agreeing to the audit of the entire food stock as well as stocktaking by a central team.

“It is obvious that you have recorded thousands of disbursal, which never took place. The stock of wheat and pulses has been shifted to residences of Congress leaders and now you are afraid of the evidence of this atrocity against the suffering poor coming out in the open. That is why, you are trying to divert the attention of the people with holier-than-thou attitude.”

Dhillon, appealing to Paswan to order an inquiry into the scam, said the central ministry was already abreast of the fact that the state ministry had distributed only 1% of the food material received from the centre in April.