Centre wants to strike off 10 lakh ration card holders in Punjab: Minister

Chandigarh, Aug 21 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab on Thursday slammed the Centre, saying that the Modi government wants to strike off at least 10 lakh ration card holders in the state.

AAP MLA and former minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal said that the BJP is deliberately targeting the people of Punjab. Removing such a large number of people from ration cards is a direct attack on the poor, Dalits and underprivileged sections of Punjab. We will not let this be implemented at any cost.

He said the Central government is making false excuses that cardholders have vehicles, houses and land in their name. In reality, this is a well-thought-out strategy to harass Punjabis and defame the Punjab government.

The BJP wants to snatch food grains from the poor of Punjab and provoke people against the Aam Aadmi Party and the Mann Government. But their ploy will not succeed. The people of Punjab know the BJP’s intentions very well.

Dhaliwal said at present, “ordinary people are already struggling to survive. Due to the high prices of petrol, diesel and essential commodities, they are living in hardship. This decision is like rubbing salt on their wounds. Therefore, the Centre should immediately withdraw it and clear people’s doubts”.

Dhaliwal levelled another serious allegation against the BJP, saying that in Punjab, its leaders and workers are holding camps in the name of government schemes and collecting people’s confidential details like bank accounts, Aadhaar and PAN cards.

“This is completely inappropriate and illegal. It must be stopped immediately.” He said as per rules, the Central government implements any of its welfare schemes through the state government. “Leaders and workers of any political party have no right to do so.”

He questioned the Centre, asking whether the government has given BJP workers the authority to implement central schemes.

“If so, it should clarify, and if not, this practice must be stopped immediately,” he added.

--IANS

vg/dan