P Chidambaram Says PM Modi Photo On PDS Grain Bags A “Gross Violation Of Code Of Conduct…”
As the 2024 Lok Sabha election looms, the BJP government is taking all routes to ensure Prime Minister Narendra Modi brand is being prominently displayed in all possible ways. The central government has spent around Rs 15 crore in five states, to procure bags with the photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which will be used to distribute food grains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), reports the Hindu.
Congress leader and former Union minister P. Chidambaram slamming BJP’s move to gain votes, wrote on X “Why is the free food grain distributed to 80 crore ration card holders packed in bags bearing the photo of the Hon”ble PM?”
He further asked “On the eve of elections, will this not be a gross violation of the code of conduct during elections?”
The veteran Congress leader calling it a misuse of public funds, wrote, “Even if elections were not imminent, is this not a misuse of public funds for purely political advantage of the ruling party?”
“If this gains currency and goes unchallenged, imagine the next steps on a host of welfare programmes and measures. Some of them can be annoying; some embarrassing; and some hilarious,” he added.
Why is the free foodgrain distributed to 80 crore ration card holders packed in bags bearing the photo of the Hon”ble PM?
On the eve of elections, will this not be a gross violation of the code of conduct during elections?
Even if elections were not imminent, is this not a…
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) March 2, 2024
As per the RTI filed by activist Ajay Bose, he has received the reply that the regional offices of Food Cooperation of India (FCI) in Rajasthan, Sikkim, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya have finalized tenders for procuring “woven laminated bags with an indicative logo of PM Modi” to distribute food grains.
Under the PMGKAY, free food grains are provided to about 81.35 crore beneficiaries of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH). The Central government claims that over 75 crore people benefitted each year under PMGKAY in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Earlier last month, a similar attempt failed in Kerala as the Pinarayi Vijayan government rejected the Union government’s directive to install selfie points featuring cutouts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at big ration shops under the PMGKAY.
