The BJP has criticized Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s allegations that the BJP at the national level denied rice to the people of Karnataka. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi responded by suggesting that the Congress party was envious of Prime Minister Modi’s position.
Joshi stated, “Siddaramaiah and the Congress party have attempted to label PM Modi as ‘Neech’. The Congress is envious of PM Modi’s position because he hails from a humble background. They believe this position belongs to the Gandhi family. The entire country is grappling with a situation similar to the Anna Bhagya scheme. We have limited rice stocks, which is why we’ve imposed a rice export ban, leading to rising rice prices. Many BJP-led states are also requesting rice, but we currently lack sufficient supply. The ‘Neech’ term used by the Congress is a reflection of their arrogance.”
Minister Pralhad Joshi also questioned CM Siddaramaiah, asking whether he mentioned during his announcement of the Anna Bhagya scheme as an election promise that its implementation depended on the center providing additional rice.
Furthermore, Joshi stated, “Due to the ongoing drought situation in the country, extra rice was being denied to every state, and rice exports were also prohibited. Hence, these allegations are baseless.”
Siddaramaiah had earlier criticized the BJP, describing them as despicable and alleging that they denied rice to the people of Karnataka. He explained that when he became the state’s chief minister, he had requested the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to supply rice for the Anna Bhagya scheme. Although the FCI had initially assured them of the rice supply, the center later denied it.
“We trusted them, but the center refused to provide us with rice. Is the BJP truly pro-poor? It appears not. We didn’t request free rice; we were willing to pay for it, offering 36 rupees per kilogram. They initially agreed and then reneged on their commitment. You all must decide how despicable they are. They are anti-poor and inhumane,” Siddaramaiah remarked.
He added, “During my previous term as CM, before the elections, I was providing over 5 kg of rice, but the BJP reduced the free rice allocation to just 5 kg. We wrote to the Food Corporation of India to purchase rice from them. They responded, indicating they had an abundance of rice to sell and were prepared to supply it. However, the BJP subsequently denied it.”
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