Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy came down hard on the state government for demanding tractor and other vehicle owners to return their Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards, here on Sunday.
Terming the decision as an ‘indication of stupidity’, he alleged that the decision showed that the state government appeared keen to harass and persecute farmers.
During a review meeting of Food and Civil Supplies department held last week, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had threatened to initiate legal action if government employees and owners of tractors and other vehicles did not return their BPL cards.
“The government, which has demanded farmers to return their BPL cards, have made tractors, (and) vehicles as a criteria. Isn’t the government encouraging scientific farming, (and) tractor purchase. Is it not stupid to ask a farmer to purchase a tractor and then use it as a criteria to rob him of the BPL card?” he said.
Though true beneficiaries should get benefits, it should not be a reason to hurt farmers. “There are several shortcomings in the public distribution system, (and) vested interests. This should be abolished first,”
he said.
The government, before threatening to strip farmers of BPL cards, should realise that the card is the basis for the several amenities provided by the government, the JD(S) leader added.