Chandigarh, Aug. 24 — Ministers and MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday staged press conferences across Punjab’s districts, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the central government of plotting to strip 55 lakh Punjabis of their free ration entitlements.
“After vote theft, BJP’s new tactic is ration theft. But we will not let this conspiracy succeed,” AAP leaders told reporters.
Cabinet ministers Aman Arora, Harpal Cheema, Harbhajan Singh ETO, Laljit Bhullar, Dr. Baljit Kaur, Tarunpreet Sondh, Dr. Balbir Singh, Dr. Ravjot, Hardeep Mundian and Mohinder Bhagat joined dozens of party MLAs in addressing district-level media briefings. They vowed to resist any attempt to cancel ration cards in Punjab.
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According to inputs, ration for 23 lakh people was already blocked in July under the pretext of KYC verification. Now, they alleged, another 32 lakh beneficiaries face cancellation by September 30.
“This is sheer injustice against Punjab and harassment of common people. We will not allow a single card to be cancelled as long as there is an AAP government in Punjab,” leaders noted.
Calling the Centre’s decision “anti-Punjab and anti-poor,” party ministers said that free ration is a lifeline for families with limited income. “The BJP government claims to give free ration to 80 crore Indians. But in Punjab, it is preparing to deny it to 55 lakh. Why does the BJP harbor such hatred for Punjabis?” one leader asked.
AAP leaders argued that the move exposes what they called the BJP’s “anti-poor” politics. “If one family member makes a mistake, the whole household cannot be punished. These excuses are baseless,” they said, accusing the BJP of favoring industrialists and corporates while pushing the poor into distress.
Party leaders charged that the BJP-led central government was attempting to cut off subsidized food for lakhs of beneficiaries in Punjab.
“This move is meant to harass the people of Punjab and its farmers. But we will not tolerate it, nor will we allow even one name to be struck off the free ration list,” one AAP leader said. Another added, “As long as there is an Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, not a single ration card will be cancelled.”
They further reminded the Centre of Punjab’s role in making India self-reliant in food grains. “Before the Green Revolution, India had to beg America and others for food. Punjab filled the country’s reserves with wheat and rice. Now the same Punjab is being deprived of ration. This is condemnable,” they said.
The AAP appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the new ration card rules. “Free grain is the right of the poor. The Centre should learn from history and stop discriminating against Punjab,” party leaders said.
Alongside ration concerns, AAP also raised alarm over what it called BJP leaders’ “illegal collection of people’s personal data” under the guise of government schemes. The party demanded the practice be stopped immediately.
“The BJP has already been caught manipulating voter lists to usurp power. Everyone knows how it tries to steal elections with fake votes. Now it is targeting ration cards,” AAP leaders alleged. They urged the public to question BJP leaders directly: “Ask them why they are removing Punjabis’ names from the ration list. If they do not answer, boycott them collectively.”
Concluding their statewide campaign, AAP ministers assured residents that their rights would be safeguarded. “The Punjab government stands firmly with its people. No ration card holder in Punjab will lose their entitlement,” they said.
