Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday held a press conference and lambasted the Central Government for cancelling ration cards of 32 lakh people.
CM Mann also outlined Centre's reason behind it and called it unfair towards the people of Punjab.
Addressing the press conference, Punjab CM Mann said, "BJP calls itself the party who thinks about people. They claim that they rations to 80 crore people and what not. Recently, we got reports that Centre-is cutting 8,02,493 ration cards. If we add at least 4 members in the family, then around 32 lakh people of Punjab will be left without rations."
"At one place they say that they will make the country a Vishwaguru, on the other hand, the Centre is now becoming 'Ration Chor' after 'Vote Chor'. Everything came to the fore on Vote Chori, hence, the Supreme Court came forward. Punjab's rations can you believe it? We produced and gave them."
CM Mann outlined the criteria central government is asking. Bhagwant Singh Mann said, "Now, what is the criteria they have kept for cancelling these ration cards? They say that you have four wheeler vehicle, your turnover is around Rs 25 lakh, 2.5 acres of land, have government jobs, etc. My question is this many times one brother gets government job. There is a trend today that the person shifts somewhere else for example in city for children's education or lifestyle. Now, what will happen to the family who stays behind?"
"The person who has ration card, if he has a car, it does not mean the other brother also has a car. What is the fault of other family members? Till I am the Chief Minister of Punjab, I will not let any ration cards to be cancelled."
"Today, they are going to villages to advertise about Central Government schemes, will they inform them about this? Will they inform that they are cancelling ration cards of 32 lakh people?
CM Mann further said, "1 crore 93 lakh people are beneficiary of ration cards in Punjab. They say that many are fake in it. We are writing to the Central Government to give us 6 months to cross verify it. Punjab feeds entire India, now you are cutting rations of Punjab?"