AAP Alleges Rs 22,000-Crore Rice Scam In Delhi as Minister Sirsa Warns Of Legal Action
In New Delhi on Sunday, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party engaged in a sharp political clash over alleged irregularities in the proposed procurement and distribution of subsidised rice intended for the capital's poor. Opposition party AAP alleged that corrupt practices in the distribution plan could result in a massive Rs 22,000-crore scam over a three-year period, while a Delhi minister threatened legal proceedings in response.
During a news conference held in the city, an AAP functionary claimed that the Rekha Gupta government, alongside an Assam-based corporation, submitted a formal request to the Food Corporation of India to secure subsidised rice for poor residents in New Delhi. AAP stated that the government sought around 31,000 metric tonnes of subsidised rice on a weekly basis under this proposed distribution arrangement.
However, AAP alleged that the requested food grains never reached the intended underprivileged beneficiaries in the national capital. Instead, the opposition party claimed that the rice was subsequently diverted and sold to a private company located in Haryana.
According to details provided by AAP, the subsidised rice was obtained from the Food Corporation of India at a rate of around Rs 23.20 per kilogram. The party alleged that the grain was then sold off in the open market at a rate of Rs 46 per kilogram. AAP claimed that this price difference resulted in an illegal commission of Rs 23 per kilogram, amounting to an alleged scam of around Rs 143 crore every single week.
Following the allegations made at the news conference, Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa strongly countered the claims and warned AAP leaders of immediate legal consequences. Minister Sirsa issued a strict 24-hour deadline for the opposition party functionaries to withdraw their claims.
The minister demanded a public apology from AAP leaders within the specified 24-hour timeframe. Sirsa warned that if the party functionaries fail to apologize and withdraw the allegations within the given period, they will face formal legal action.
