Srinagar: The National Conference on Saturday dismissed Mehbooba Mufti’s claims that ration cards of thousands of people below the poverty line were cancelled as “unfounded” and a “desperate ploy” to stay in the spotlight.
In a statement, the party’s chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said such “baseless accusations” had no place in the realm of politics and called out Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti “for her failed attempt to stir up controversy”.
“It seems she is trying a little too hard to make the headlines but people see right through it. Wasn’t it the PDP that rushed to implement the Food Security Act to appease the BJP? Under your rule, ration quotas were cruelly slashed from 35 kilograms (during the previous National Conference government) to just 5 kilograms!” he said.
Sadiq, the MLA from Zadibal, said the PDP-BJP government not only “deprived” people of basic rations but also “symbolised arrogance and oppression”.
He said, “Who can forget her ‘milk and toffee’ remark’ — an emblem of her (Mufti’s) iron-fist policy against Kashmiris?”
Mehbooba Mufti’s “dictatorial and arrogant behaviour” has not been forgotten, he added.
“This is a people’s government and every decision we make will ensure justice for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, not harm them like you (Mufti) did. The decision to cancel cards was made across the country and is not Jammu and Kashmir specific. Why did you choose to stay silent back then? What’s with the selective rhetoric?” the legislator asked.
He said Omar Abdullah’s government would fulfill all promises outlined in its manifesto, including providing 200 free units of electricity and an enhanced ration quota.
“Ten years of developmental and administrative setbacks cannot be undone in a few days. The government is working towards fulfilling its promises and will soon deliver on them,” he said.
Mehbooba Mufti and other leaders of her party had alleged that around 1.5 lakh ration cards of people below the poverty line had been cancelled in Jammu and Kashmir.
The row erupted after Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya revealed in the Rajya Sabha earlier this week that the Centre had cancelled more than 1,27,872 (1.27 lakh) “fake and duplicate” ration cards in Jammu and Kashmir since 2013 while 702 ration cards were cancelled in Ladakh.
The Centre had said 5.87 crore ration cards were cancelled across the country between 2013 and 2024 as part of efforts to ensure “rightful targeting” of food subsidies.
