Amarinder alleges 'selective' process in issuing blue cards

Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh today alleged a "selective and discriminatory" process was adopted in issuing 'blue (rations) cards' to people for subsidised food under the National Food Security Act.
He said the blue cards must be issued without any discrimination to all deserving people living below poverty line and not on the basis of the colour of their turban.
Amarinder also issued a stern warning to all the officials involved in the process that they can flout the rules at their own risk.
"Be fair and just in issuing the blue cards and if you do it merely at the behest of Akalis, let me make it clear to you that you will have to account for it within less than a year," he warned, adding, "the process should be simple and accessible to all the deserving".

In a statement issued here, the former Chief Minister claimed that the SAD-BJP government had asked all the deputy commissioners to allow registration of 2,000 blue ration cards for each assembly constituency, as recommended by the 'halqa incharge' or the concerned MLA of the ruling alliance.
"The halqa incharge/MLAs have virtually been given absolute authority to issue the cards with obvious intent," he alleged.

"All rules and regulations have been thrown to the winds as applications on prescribed proforma are collected by the halqa incharge/MLAs and are handed over directly to the DC concerned," the PCC president alleged while adding, "no verification is done and selective and pliable officials are called to verify and cards are being released in bits and pieces".

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Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal asked Amarinder to "quickly" take permission from Congress' central leadership to fight the election from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's Lambi assembly constituency before the nomination filing process ends.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said that he is "amused" by the "smart ploy of Rahul Gandhi to get rid of the Punjab Congress chief by pushing him into Lambi as he doesn't like him."
"Amarinder had been resorting to cheap theatrics for the last few months, including making false promises of farm loan waiver which has not been reflected in the Congress manifesto.

"That he has reportedly asked for permission to contest against Parkash Singh Badal is another ploy to gain cheap publicity," Sukhbir said in a statement here.
The fact of the matter is Congress is "falling apart like a house of cards", he claimed.
"There is widespread revolt against the manner in which party tickets are being distributed from Delhi. Many Congress members are passing no confidence motions against Amarinder. The party has not announced its chief ministerial candidate and both Manpreet Badal and Navjot Sidhu are claiming that they have been promised the chief ministerial berth," Sukhbir alleged.
He claimed that Amarinder has hit upon the idea of contesting against Parkash Singh Badal to "project himself as the chief ministerial candidate".

"Amarinder probably wants to go down like a martyr. He wants to give the impression that he lost in Patiala because he had to give time in Lambi, where he is sure to suffer a humiliating defeat," Sukhbir claimed.
"The people of Lambi will teach the Punjab Congress chief that they respect those who stay and work amongst them like Badal and not fly-by-night operators like him," he claimed.
Parkash Singh Badal said, "In Punjab, we are seeing opponents of Akali Dal trying to settle their intra-party rivalries by pushing their rivals into Akali strongholds.
"We saw how Arvind Kejriwal smartly manoeuvred Bhagwant Mann and other major AAP leaders into Akali strongholds. Rahul seems to have followed that pattern with Captain (Amarinder). Rahul has done to Captain what Captain earlier used to do to his junior rivals in the party," the Chief Minister claimed.

"The move reminds one of the last throw of the dice by a losing gambler in which he stakes even the honour of his house in order to reclaim his losses. But we all know what happens to such desperate gamblers," he said.
"As a good host, I would welcome Amarinder Singh with open arms and enjoy his presence," the Chief Minister said.