New Delhi, Apr 21 (IANS): Reacting to reports that the Centre has decided to use additional rice in stock to make ethanol, which could be used for making sanitisers, Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that the poor were dying of hunger and the government wanted to make sanitisers for the rich.

Rahul Gandhi said in his tweet, "When will the poor of Hindustan wake up, you are dying of hunger and from your share of rice they are going to make sanitisers for the rich."

The Congress has been demanding free ration till September 20 and Sonia Gandhi has also written to the Prime Minister on this.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also appealed to the government to issue emergency ration cards to the migrants and the poor, who are not getting rations through the PDS.

He reacted to the reports that the Centre has allowed the FCI to convert the surplus rice into ethanol to ensure adequate availability of sanitisers to fight COVID-19. The decision was taken by the National Biofuel Cordination Committee chaired by Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as per the National Biofuel policy of 2018.

The ethanol produced will also be used in production of ethanol blended petrol.

The policy of 2018 allows such conversions of surplus foodgrains to into ethanol.