File Photo: Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh
The Congress Party has demanded the resignation of Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, over alleged irregularities in the supply of rice in the Rs 36,000 crore Public Distribution System (PDS) or the Nagrik Apurti scam in the state.
The party claims that officials connived with mill owners and PDS shop owners to provide sub-standard rice to poor families, swindling money from the state exchequer.
A senior spokesperson of Congress, Ajay Maken said, "The diaries reveal benefits for not only Chief Minister Raman Singh, but his wife, sister in law, his cook and others. The moot point is that if there are diaries with the Chief Minister, his wife and his sister-in-law's names present, then why isn't any action being taken against them."
The ruling BJP has denied this charge, Chhattisgarh state BJP president Dharam Lal Kaushik told NDTV, "The congress has no agenda... the CM acted on the allegations when they were first brought to his notice... The government has acted with swiftness against the people accused."
The state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has been investigating the case, but Congress has demanded a Supreme Court monitored probe into the scam.
On February 12 this year, the ACB had raided 36 offices of state civil supplies corporation leading to the recovery of Rs 3.64 crore and several incriminating documents.
Chhattisgarh has often been touted as a model state for its PDS by the BJP where subsidised rice is available to lakhs of poor families at Rs. 1 per kg.