After being denied for the rice procurement, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday accused the BJP government at the Centre of being anti-poor and pro-capitalists. Making a harsh remark against BJP, he called the party neech (despicable) and anti-humanity.Notably, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah had sought rice from the Centre to provide an additional 5 kgs to every beneficiary under the Anna Bhagya scheme of the State government and Centre had denied supply of additional supply of rice to aid the poor.During an addressal, Siddaramaiah said, “When I was the CM during my previous tenure, I was giving seven kg rice free but the previous BJP government reduced it to four kg and five kg. During the assembly election, I promised that we will give an additional five kg more.”Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah says, Prior to the election, I had said that I would give the people of the state 5kgs over and above what youre getting, as the previous govt had reduced free rice to just 5kgs. We wrote to the Food Corporation of India to purchase rice from them.… pic.twitter.com/cUiP7ivSh9— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2023He also added that during the elections they reached to an agreement with Food Corporation of India (FCI) to procure addition rice and FCI assured them to for the same. “They are anti-poor. They dont have humanity,” Siddaramaiah added.While explaining the reason behind the Centre reversed from supplying rice to Karnataka, the chief minister said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that if free rice is given to the poor people, those states will go bankrupt. We told him that we will implement the five guarantees and we will not let the state go bankrupt.”Heres is how BJP leader reacted:Making a strong attack on the opposition, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi responded saying “Congress party was jealous of the chair of PM Modi.”“Siddaramaiah and Congress party have tried to call PM Modi Neech…Since PM Modi comes from a poor background, the Congress party is jealous of the chair of PM Modi. They think this belongs to the Gandhi family… The whole country is facing a Anna Bhagya scheme situation. We have fewer stocks of rice. Thats why we have banned the export of rice. The price of rice is increasing…Many BJP-governed states are also demanding rice…But we do not have it right now…The Neech word used by the Congress is an example of their Ghamand”Pralhad Joshi told ANI .Joshi also asked CM Siddaramaiah, while announcing the Anna Bhagya scheme during the election did they mentioned that they will be able to fulfil the promise only after Centre provide them with the extra rice.
