Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], August 23 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday attacked BJP-led Union Government, accusing it of snatching food from lakhs of poor families by arbitrarily cutting ration cards in the state.

Mann said that while the BJP often projects itself as the 'provider of rations' to 80 crore Indians, recent reports revealed that the Centre has planned to delete 8,02,493 ration cards in Punjab. 'If one card covers four members on average, this decision will deprive nearly 32 lakh people of their rightful ration,' the CM said.

He alleged that the criteria fixed for cancellation were unrealistic and unfair. 'The Union Government says ration cards will be cut if a family owns a four-wheeler, has an annual turnover of Rs 25 lakh, or possesses more than 2.5 acres of land. My question is simple, if one gets a government job and shifts to the city, does that make the rest of the family rich? How can the entire family be denied food just because the cardholder acquires something?' Mann asked.

Asserting that he would not allow anyone's ration card to be cancelled, Mann said, 'As long as I am the Chief Minister, no family in Punjab will be deprived of ration. The BJP has moved from being 'vote thieves' to becoming 'ration thieves'. This is Punjab's ration, which we give them, and we will fight this injustice tooth and nail.'

The Chief Minister said that the state government had also sought six months' time from the Centre to address issues. 'In Punjab, it is common for a household to own a scooter or a fan. Calling such families ineligible is absurd,' he said.

Mann also raised concerns over data privacy, questioning how personal details of citizens were being accessed and misused. 'When Aadhaar is already mandatory for everything, why is there still a need for fresh surveys? Who is taking this data and for what purpose?' he asked.

Highlighting his government's welfare schemes, Mann said the state was committed to providing Rs. 1,000 per month to women without demanding intrusive details.

On the issue of floods, the CM assured compensation for affected families, particularly in areas like Kapurthala. 'The rivers cause damage every year. This time, we will work on permanent solutions and route management. While Haryana and Rajasthan may take water if they want, Punjab will ensure that people along rivers are safeguarded,' he said.

Taking a swipe at Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, Mann said, 'He should first come out of Batala and see where floods have actually hit, instead of commenting from abroad like Australia.' (ANI)