Opposition Congress on Thursday made Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik a party in its statewide FIR campaign against Odisha government which distributes 25 kg of rice among BPL families instead of their monthly quota of 35 kg. "We hold Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik responsible for distribution of 10 kg of rice less per BPL family per month. The state cabinet under the chairmanship of Patnaik has taken the decision to distribute less quantity of rice among BPL families," OPCC president Jaydev Jena said while leading a group of BPL families to file FIR at Cuttack.
Terming Congress allegation and FIR campaign as a "political propaganda," Patnaik said: "Odisha government has been giving rice at the rate of Rs 1 a kg to BPL families". Jena said both Patnaik and state's food and supplies minister PK Deb are made parties in the alleged fraud of 10 kg of rice from each family every month. "We demand return of rice to the affected families," the OPCC president said. Stating that the police has been requested to lodge complaints against the state government under Section 406 of IPC, senior Congress leader and prominent lawyer Narashingha Mishra said distribution of less quantity of rice amounts to a "criminal breach of trust".
"How can a government procure 35 kg for a poor family and give 25 kg," he asked. The party also claimed that distribution of less quantity of rice among poor families also invokes provisions under Essential Commodities Act. Jena said at least 33 party observers would oversee the campaign in all organisational districts and would persuade the BPL families to lodge complaint over the issue.
While a section of BPL families lodged their complaints against the state government over the rice issue at Capital Police Station and Kharvel nagar Police Station, Congress workers gheroed Lalbag Police Station in Cuttack where some BPL families made similar FIRs. The party would continue FIR campaign for a week till July 18, sources said.
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