NDA demands CBI probe into rice scam in AP

Vijayawada: Leaders of the BJP, TDP and Jana Sena have demanded a comprehensive investigation by the CBI on the alleged rice scam reported from Kakinada port. Speaking to media on Monday, Lanka Dinakar, BJP chief Spokesperson, state Telugu Rythu president Mareddy Srinivas Reddy and Jana Sena Party general secretary Shivashankar demanded a probe by the CBI into the alleged recycling of PDS rice and export from Kakinada port. The three leaders said the CBI has knowledge of the sources of rice entering Kakinada port in the state, the identities under which it is exported to foreign countries, and the parties benefiting from these overseas transactions.

They said the rice scam, which taking place under the watchful eyes of Chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, is purportedly estimated to amount to a staggering Rs 50,000 crore. They said during the 2019 elections, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy promised to provide good quality rice to the impoverished populace if elected to power. But after gaining power, he deprived the poor of their rightful share of rice supplies, they alleged. They pointed out that CM Jagan Mohan Reddy is the mastermind behind the rice mafia in the state and stated that Dwarampudi Chandrashekar Reddy and other YSRCP leaders run the mafia.

They said the Central government implements the ‘Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana’ as Modi's Guarantee to provide food for the poor under the Food Security Act but the YSRCP leaders are diverting the rice to make money illegally.

The three leaders said the Central government is offering a monthly provision of 5 kg of rice free of charge to 2.67 crore people in Andhra Pradesh but the YSRCP leaders are enriching themselves by diverting the free rice meant for the poor through the rice recycling scam. They stated that the illegal export of rice from the Kakinada port to foreign countries is adversely affecting the welfare of the poor in the state and demanded that persons involved in corrupt rice practices should be prosecuted and sentenced to prison for sure.