In a new twist to the wheat import story, the Shiv Sena is now training its guns on the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, claiming along with the BJP that the wheat being distributed was “meant for pigs”.

The BJP has alleged that the imported wheat is not fit for human consumption but was being distributed in the rural areas.

Shiv Sena’s leader of opposition Ramdas Kadam said on Thursday that his party would burn the wheat if its distribution in rural areas was not stopped immediately. He alleged that villagers were being pressurised to buy the imported wheat if they wanted to procure kerosene and other essential commodities.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and the state BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who “exposed the scandal”  a few months back, meanwhile, obtained reports from the Public Health Laboratory of the Maharashtra government under the Right to Information Act.

The laboratory has declared imported wheat distributed under Public Distribution System as “not fit for human consumption”. “This type of wheat is meant for cattle feed abroad,” they said and demanded its immediate withdrawal.