The Aam Aadmi Party has intensified its demand for the dismissal of Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa over an alleged rice scam worth crores of rupees. On Tuesday, AAP legislators staged a unique protest by setting up a ‘rice shop’ on the Assembly premises and demanded that the government immediately dismiss the minister. AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj said very serious allegations have been levelled against the Food and Civil Supplies Department headed by Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa. The department had recommended to the FCI that subsidised rice be given to a North-East Corporation based in Assam. The subsidised rice, which was meant to be distributed among poor and migrant people in Delhi, was allegedly sold to a private company in Haryana on the black market. Crores of rupees were allegedly earned as illegal commission.
Meanwhile, MLA Sanjeev Jha, who was protesting by setting up a ‘rice shop’ on the Assembly premises, said that on Tuesday, along with opposition legislators, they registered their protest over a serious issue involving allegations of a scam of around Rs 22,000 crore in the procurement and distribution system of subsidised rice meant for poor and needy families. Questions have been raised over the rice meant for the poor, and answers are being sought from the Delhi government. If the rice to which the poor are entitled and which should reach needy families through government subsidies is allegedly being used as a means for private profit and commissions, it is a serious matter.
He said this is not merely a question of corruption, but a serious issue concerning the rights of the poor and the money of the people of Delhi. The opposition will continue its fight for accountability and transparency on this issue, both inside the House and on the streets. The government will have to answer every question concerning the money of the people of Delhi and the rights of the poor.
“This rice belonged to the FCI and the BJP sold it in the open market. Thirty-one thousand metric tonnes of rice were being procured from the FCI every week and sold in the open market in Haryana. This was a scam of approximately Rs 500 crore per week. Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa’s department was attempting a scam of Rs 22,000 crore.”
Sanjeev Jha said that for the past two days, valuable time of the House had been wasted only in falsely praising the government. He said they had raised the alleged medicine scam three days ago, followed by the alleged bicycle scam, and were now raising the alleged rice scam. He expressed hope that the issue would be discussed in the House so that the people of Delhi could know how grain meant for the poor and migrant workers was allegedly sold.
Meanwhile, Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar said the rice was meant to reach the plates and provide food to poor people. However, he alleged that the department headed by Delhi government minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa arranged for rice purchased from the FCI at subsidised rates to be sold through a corporation in the open market in Haryana at double the price. He said the rice had been procured for poor people and migrant workers who do not have Aadhaar cards or ration cards. He alleged that they were demanding the dismissal of a minister whose department was responsible for a situation in which rice purchased from the government in the name of the poor was allegedly sold in the market.
Kuldeep Kumar said this was not merely his allegation, but that the Central Government’s vigilance department had raised the issue and suspended Additional Commissioner Arun Jha in connection with the matter. He questioned when action would be taken against Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa after Arun Jha had been suspended. He said the minister’s department itself had requested the FCI to provide the rice to an Assam corporation for distribution among poor people in Delhi, but the corporation allegedly sold the rice to private traders in Haryana. He reiterated the demand for the dismissal of BJP minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
Meanwhile, Karol Bagh MLA Vishesh Ravi said another alleged scam had emerged in what he described as a series of scams under the BJP government. He said 31,000 metric tonnes of rice had arrived in Delhi from an Assam corporation and was meant to be distributed among poor people in the capital. However, he alleged that the BJP government sold the subsidised rice meant for the poor to private traders in the market and pocketed the profits. He said the AAP had also demanded in the Delhi Assembly that the issue be discussed.
