From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jul 1: Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday said the Congress government is not worried about the protests by BJP inside and outside the Legislature demanding full implementation of the Anna Bhagya Guarantee of 10 kgs of rice per person per month for the BPL cardholders.

Addressing media persons at the Kumara Krupa Guest House, he said the government will give cash for 5 kgs of rice to the eligible cardholders until sufficient quantities of rice is available for the implementation of Anna Bhagya.

Shivakumar indicated that a few states had offered to sell the required rice for one or two months. “We did not take their offer as the government did not want to start the scheme and discontinue midway,’’ he said.

Pointing out that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and State’s Food Minister K H Muniyappa had personally met Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to ensure that FCI honoured its earlier written promise to sell the necessary quantity of rice, he said the senior government officials including the Chief Secretary have been trying their best to procure the required quantity of rice.

“BJP played dirty politics and the Narendra Modi government suddenly intervened to direct FCI to stop the Open Market Sale of Rice with the political motive of ensuring that the Anna Bhagya scheme is not implemented,’’ he said accusing BJP of being anti-poor.

Shivakumar said the State BJP leaders, when they realised the Centre has blocked the sale of rice to Karnataka and the government was unable to procure the required quantity from other States or Central agencies, had challenged the government to pay cash if the rice is not available.

“The government took up the BJP challenge and decided to pay cash in respect of the 5 kgs per person per month,’’ he said attacking the BJP of changing their strategy now and insisting on rice and not cash.

The deputy chief minister lashed out at the double standards and anti-poor policies of BJP and challenged the State BJP leaders to stage their protest against the Modi government for suddenly changing the policy of selling rice by FCI.

“The Modi-led BJP does not want to sell rice even if the FCI stock in rotting in the godowns. Let the State BJP leaders protest. People know the reality. They cannot fool the people,’’ he said adding: “BJP leaders are free to speak and criticise. We cannot seal their mouths. We never did.’’

On the sharing of inter-state waters, he said the government will talk to the neighbouring states and try to solve the issues on the basis of Supreme Court directions.

A delegation of Bengaluru Apartment Federation comprising Vikram Rai, Kiran Hebbar and others called on the Deputy Chief Minister.

Shivakumar met the Kedarnath Mutt Swamiji Sri Raval Jagadguru Bheemashankaralinga Shivacharya and received the Seer’s blessings.