The Congress government in Karnataka has been at loggerheads with the BJP-led Centre over the former's rice distribution scheme—'Anna Bhagya'—in the state ever since the Union government “stalled” sale of wheat and rice to state governments under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) (OMSSD) prohibiting the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to sell any additional rice to Karnataka for its ‘10 kg free rice’ scheme.
In its latest attack on the central government, the grand old party's spokesperson Jairam Ramesh accused the Centre of "punishing the people of Karnataka" for voting the BJP out of power by attempting to sabotage the ‘Anna Bhagya 2.0’ scheme.
Ramesh went on to allege that the Union government has made good on the threat issued by BJP president J P Nadda by withdrawing the 'ashirwad' (blessings) Karnataka enjoyed under the saffron party’s rule.
Let's take a look at the war of words between the political leaders over the much talked about 'Anna Bhagya' scheme.
There have been rampant attacks and verbal swipes from both sides, with each blaming the other over the scheme, even as the Congress insisted it is committed to providing rice as promised to the people of Karnataka.
Congress leaders at both state and national levels have lashed out at the Centre, with CM Siddaramaiah calling it “anti-poor, political decision” and a “conspiracy” hatched by the BJP. Siddaramaiah had tossed the ball in the Centre's court when he said, “If there is any delay in implementation of the scheme, the Union government is responsible."
After the Congress' initial accusations, Subhod Kumar Singh, the Additional Secretary in the Food Ministry, had told the media that the Karnataka government did not consult the Union government before announcing the Anna Bhagya scheme.
“It is a state government scheme and it has to take responsibility to procure and distribute the food grain and not the central government,” he had argued.
Further, the BJP's Tejasvi Surya had countered the Congress by saying that that the CM was misleading the people by blatantly accusing the Union government for the scheme's failure, even though the change in the policy was already suggested before Karnataka had put in a request with the FCI.
"The minutes of the inter-ministerial committee meeting dated June 8, which is before the state government requested regional FCI, show that the change in OMSS policy was already suggested in view of the increase in price of wheat and rice across the country," the BJP leader had said.
"It also very clearly shows that the process to reconsider this policy had started way back in early May by the inter-ministerial committee, much before even the Karnataka elections were held," Surya had added.
"The Congress government wanted to pass on the Union government's subsidised rice scheme as their own and now, when caught in the act, are trying to fool the public," the saffron party leader had further alleged.
Surya's comments were echoed by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, who, on Wednesday, stated that the Centre's decision to not allocate additional rice is not specific to Karnataka, but it is a policy decision applicable for all states.
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"There is a norm to maintain buffer stock of rice, failing which rice price in the market will rise sharply. The Centre is already giving five kg of rice to the poor. It is not correct to expect the Centre to supply (rice) for the announcements made by you (Congress) without planning," Joshi had said.
"An officer of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) might have written a letter to the State government agreeing to supply additional rice. But, demand from many states came after that, and the Centre took a policy decision about the buffer stock to be maintained," the Union minister had added.
Subsequently, media reports had claimed that the Karnataka government might be planning to implement the 'Anna Bhagya' scheme from August instead of July, owing to its failure to procure rice.
Karnataka had spoken to some other states like Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Punjab who had promised to supply rice, but the Siddaramaiah-led government is reportedly still negotiating prices.
The state government requires 2.28 lakh tonnes of rice for the scheme, state food and civil supplies minister K H Muniyappa had said. Muniyappa, who met Union Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi last week, submitted a memorandum seeking the same, but later said that Goyal had rejected his plea to supply additional rice to the state at subsidised rates.
The state government is making all efforts to procure rice from all sources and is committed to implement the Anna Bhagya scheme, the minister had said.
On Sunday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took forward the grand old party's attack on the BJP at the Centre. “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," Ramesh said.