Chandigarh, August 23:
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today strongly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their anti-people stance aimed at depriving 55 lakh citizens of state from free food grains under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Addressing media persons here, the Chief Minister said that out of of total 1.53 crore ration cards in the state, the BjP led government has conspired to discontinue free ration being given to 55 lakh poor. He said that making an excuse of not having KYC the centre had already stopped free ration for 23 lakh poor in July this year and now they have threatened to discontinue this benefit from 32 lakh more individuals from September 30 onwards. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the centre government will not succeed in its evil motives and he will not allow them to struck off even a single card.
The Chief Minister said that while the BJP claims to be pro-people and boasts of providing food grains to 80 crore people through the PDS, it is now attempting to cancel 8,02,493 ration cards in Punjab. This, he said, would effectively deprive around 32 lakh people of their entitlement to free rations. Bhagwant Singh Mann accused the BJP of shifting from “vote theft” to “ration theft,” asserting that it is especially unjust to target Punjab—a state that produces food grains to make the country self-reliant.
The Chief Minister criticized the rationale being used to delete ration cards, which includes ownership of four-wheelers, government jobs, small landholdings, and income. He pointed out the absurdity of penalizing entire families when just one member may fulfill one of these criteria. Bhagwant Singh Mann categorically stated that as long as he is the Chief Minister, not a single ration card will be deleted. In the state adding he dared BJP leaders to showcase this “achievement” during their ongoing mass outreach programs.
The Chief Minister also ridiculed the contradictory nature of central government schemes—one offering gas connections to the poor while another withdraws benefits on the same basis. Bhagwant Singh Mann said the BJP’s anti-poor agenda has been exposed, and reiterated that he has urged the Prime Minister and other central leaders to reconsider the exclusionary criteria. He emphasized the need to relax these conditions so that the maximum number of economically weaker and underprivileged people can benefit.
The Chief Minister made it clear that the Punjab government will strongly oppose this discriminatory move and has already requested a six-month window to thoroughly review the matter. He warned the Union Government to stop treating Punjabis as beggars, adding that the people of Punjab are not dependent on the Centre for their dignity and rights. Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted that Punjabis will not succumb to the pressure tactics of the Union Government and will not surrender their legitimate rights.
The Chief Minister said that while Punjab has traditionally enjoyed a better standard of living than many other states, it has suffered adversely due to the poor governance of previous regimes. Hence, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Centre must revise the conditions of these schemes to ensure that deserving beneficiaries are not denied assistance. He reminded the Prime Minister that his vision of making India a Vishwaguru (global leader) cannot be realized while 32 lakh people in Punjab are being starved due to technicalities and ill-conceived policies.
The Chief Minister vowed that the state government would not allow the rights of its people to be usurped by the Government of India. Responding to a query, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that BJP leaders are facing legal action because they are attempting to breach the privacy of citizens by organizing camps to collect personal data—something that will not be permitted.
The Chief Minister further that the BJP has already been exposed for manipulating voter rolls and attempting to gain power through backdoor tactics in several states. However, he said that such efforts will not succeed in Punjab, and the government will ensure that citizens’ privacy remains protected. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab government is committed to safeguard the interests of the state and its people adding that no stone will be left unturned for this noble cause.
On a separate question, the Chief Minister said the state government is working on channelizing water sources to prevent devastation in Punjab caused by heavy rainfall in hilly regions. He noted the irony that while rains occur elsewhere in the hilly terrains but Punjab bears the brunt. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that a comprehensive mechanism is being developed to address this issue and that he has already instructed officials to prepare a robust strategy after visiting flood-affected areas.
