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“Put your house in order”

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday criticised the Left-ruled West Bengal government for the “food riots” in parts of the State and said the government should “put its house in order.”

The Congress also assailed Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani for “shedding crocodile tears” in seeking a higher minimum support price for paddy, while the National Democratic Alliance government almost froze it.

During a briefing here, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said the “food riots” reflected the deficiencies in availability, distribution and pricing of foodgrains and in regulatory systems in West Bengal. “Those who profess concern for the poorest of the poor should immediately set their house in order. They have to urgently address the legitimate concerns of the deprived and the needy.”

While the United Progressive Alliance government and the Congress were “ever ready” to extend all assistance, the State government could neither abdicate nor transfer its vital role and responsibility to the Centre, Mr. Singhvi said. “All slogans, shibboleths and controversies are secondary compared to the basic food needs of the people of West Bengal.”

On Mr. Advani’s demand for higher MSP for paddy during the current procurement season, Mr. Singhvi said the BJP leader neither understood the plight of farmers nor spoke their language. “During the six years of the NDA rule, the MSP was enhanced by only Rs. 60 a quintal, whereas during the UPA regime between 2004 and now it was hiked by Rs. 300 a quintal.”

Kolkata Special Correspondent reports:

More than 5,500 ration dealers in West Bengal en masse surrendered their licences to local authorities on Monday. They were protesting against attacks on them and their colleagues over the past few weeks by those alleging malpractices in the public distribution system.

There are 20,372 ration dealers in the State. The others will also surrender their licences unless security is provided in the face of violence in certain parts of south Bengal, a spokesman of the All-India Fair Price Shop Dealers’ Federation said.

The Federation, which has also blamed the Centre for cutting down on allotments of foodgrains for the PDS in the State, has demanded the setting up of a committee to inquire into the allegations of anomalies in the rationing system.

Its members will meet Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhatacharjee on Tuesday to discuss the situation. He had said the government was taking action against those guilty of malpractices.

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