Anna Bhagya scheme: Congress accuses Centre of 'punishing people of Karnataka' for voting BJP out of power

Jairam Ramesh alleged that Centre's order disallowing the FCI to sell rice to states through OMSS-D was 'targeted' at Karnataka, which bought the maximum quantity.

The Congress on Sunday accused the Narendra Modi government of punishing the people of Karnataka for voting the BJP out of power by attempting to sabotage the ‘Anna Bhagya 2.0’ scheme that provides an additional five kilograms of free rice to the poor.

It went on to allege that the union government has made good on the threat issued by BJP president JP Nadda by withdrawing the 'ashirwad' (blessings) Karnataka enjoyed under his party’s rule. During the poll campaign, Nadda had said that the people of the state should re-elect the BJP so that they continue to enjoy Modi’s blessings.

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The Congress alleged that Karnataka lifted more than 95 per cent of rice procured by all states under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS-Domestic) between January 1 and May 24 when the BJP ruled the state - presumably with Modi's 'ashirwad' - but that this 'blessing' was withdrawn at 'break-neck speed' after it assumed power.

“It is nothing but Karnataka’s 'durbhagya' (misfortune) that Prime Minister Modi is punishing the poor of the state for voting to secure their future," Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said in a statement.

He alleged that it is "now absolutely clear" that the June 13 order issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Food Distribution disallowing the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to sell rice to states through OMSS-D was “targeted mainly” at Karnataka, which bought the maximum quantity.

The government order came a day after the FCI cleared the sale, based on requests by Karnataka, placed on June 6 and 9.

“Clearly, this was targeted at sabotaging the implementation of the Anna Bhagya 2.0 scheme guaranteed by the Congress to the people of Karnataka,” Ramesh said, adding that the FCI General Manager in charge of Karnataka canceled the order on June 14.

"Not only that, the FCI Chairman and Managing Director in a press conference on June 23 said that conditions will be placed such that private traders cannot sell to another state. Isn’t this a clear case of sabotage?" Ramesh asked.

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Ramesh called the order a “brazen” move that not only targets the additional 5 kilos of free rice guaranteed by the Congress government in the state, but also impacts the basic entitlement of 5 kilos that is being given to an additional 39 lakh BPL beneficiaries by Karnataka, beyond what is already allocated under the National Food Security Act.

“The fact is that the FCI has more than enough stocks to meet Karnataka’s and the country’s needs but the Modi government is trying its very best to close every single avenue for the Karnataka government to fulfill its Guarantee to the people of Karnataka,” he said.

Ramesh also questioned why 1.5 lakh tonnes of rice has been allocated for the production of ethanol this year at a rate of Rs 2,000 per quintal, if there is a depletion of rice stocks as claimed by the government.

He alleged that it was not the first time that Modi had opposed schemes of Congress governments that benefited the poor. Ramesh said Modi, when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat, had opposed the Food Security Bill, but it was the same law that came to the rescue of the poor during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Under the renamed package of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana, 80 crore people got free food grains and pulses. This would not have been possible without the architecture of the National Food Security Act and the Public Distribution System implemented by the Congress-led UPA government," he said.

“Why is that the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana is not a ‘revdi’, whereas the Congress guarantee of 10 kgs free rice through the Anna Bhagya 2.0 scheme is vilified and sabotaged?...The Congress government in Karnataka will do everything possible to ensure the rights of the people of Karnataka are protected, and the Guarantee of Anna Bhagya 2.0 with 10 kgs free rice is implemented at the earliest, come what may,” he added.