Buy National Flag To Get Ration: In another instance of friendly fire, BJP MP Varun Gandhi has taken a veiled dig at the Center over a viral video in which several people allege that when they went to pick them up at ration shops, they were charged ₹20 at the national level. Was forced to buy the flag provision.
The Pilibhit MP, who has been targeting his party on several issues, shared the video on Twitter along with a post that read, “It would be unfortunate that the celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of Independence become a burden for the poor.”
“Ration card holders are being forced to buy the national flag or being deprived of a portion of the grain they are entitled to. It is shameful to price the ‘Tiranga’, which is in the heart of every Indian, of the poor snatching a morsel of food,” said Mr. Gandhi.
In a video recorded by a news portal in Haryana’s Karnal, people are seen alleging that they were forced to pay ₹20 and buy the national flag when they went to a government depot to collect ration.
A person seen in the video, who appears to be an employee of a ration depot, says that they had received orders that every person taking ration would have to buy the flag for Rs 20 and put it up in their homes. “We have been told not to give ration to anyone who refuses to buy the flag. We have to do what we have been ordered to do,” he said.
The depot owner’s license was suspended soon after the video went viral. Deputy Commissioner Anish Yadav said that action has been taken against the depot owner for misleading the people. He appealed to the people to inform the administration if any such incident happens. He said that national flags are being sold at ration depots for the convenience of the people and they can buy them if they want.
The BJP MP’s statement comes amid grand plans of the government to celebrate 75 years of independence this year under the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is a campaign under the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence.
As part of the campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed the display picture on his social media accounts to “Tiranga” (the tricolor or national flag) and urged citizens to do the same.
“Today 2nd August is special! At a time when we are celebrating Amrit Mahotsav of Azadi, our nation is ready for a mass movement to celebrate #HarGharTiranga, our tricolor. I have changed the dp on my social media pages and Urged you all to do the same,” he had tweeted earlier this month.
Varun Gandhi’s latest remarks are the latest in a series of attacks on his party-led government. Buy National Flag To Get Ration
Earlier, he has criticized the government’s move to do away with the railway concession to the elderly, the introduction of GST on packaged food items and the Centre’s new recruitment scheme for the armed forces, ‘Agneepath’.
