Allegations of illegal sale of BPL rice by Congress leader

Bengaluru: Allegations of illegal sale of subsidised BPL rice in the black market led to a tense confrontation between two groups in the city on Wednesday, raising serious questions over the misuse of food security schemes.

The incident occurred near Kumaraswamy Layout, where members of the Karnataka Rashtra Samiti (KRS) accused a local Congress leader of being involved in the illegal trade of ration rice.

According to KRS leaders, rice meant for Below Poverty Line (BPL) cardholders was allegedly being purchased at throwaway prices and resold in the black market for profit.

They claimed to have caught individuals red-handed while transporting the rice illegally and brought them to the police station. The allegations sparked heated arguments between KRS workers and supporters of Congress leader Aleem, resulting in a brief standoff.

Aleem, however, denied all allegations and termed them politically motivated. He accused KRS activists of trying to malign his image and create unnecessary tension ahead of local body elections. As tempers flared, more than 300 supporters from both sides reportedly gathered in the area, forcing police to intervene and disperse the crowd to prevent violence.

KRS state general secretary Raghupathi Bhatt alleged that the illegal trade had been going on for several days. “We had specific information and acted accordingly. Around 45 bags of rice were seized during the operation.

This is a clear case of exploiting the poor and looting government welfare schemes,” he said. Bhatt further alleged that Aleem was running the racket to build financial resources ahead of upcoming municipal elections.

Police said they are verifying the claims made by both sides and examining the seized rice bags. No arrests were made till the filing of this report, but officials confirmed that an inquiry has been initiated.

The incident has once again brought the spotlight on the alleged diversion of subsidised food grains, a recurring issue that continues to undermine the state’s public distribution system.

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