Alleging a "massive scam" in Delhi government's public distribution system (PDS), BJP today demanded Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's resignation over the issue along with the sacking of Food and Civil Supplies Minister Harun Yusuf.
The demand by Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel came a day after the government suspended six Food and Civil Supplies officials for alleged irregularities in distribution of foodgrain under the PDS.
The government action came after a TV channel aired a sting operation showing irregularities in the PDS.
"The Food and Civil Supplies Minister has been presiding over a systematic plunder of foodgrain meant for the poor. It is a massive scam. He must be sacked immediately. We also demand resignation of the Chief Minister," Goel said.
He also sought a white paper on the status of PDS in Delhi.
"Congress government is duping the poor through the multi- crore PDS scam. Fake ration cards have been made in lakhs. There is a nexus between Food and Civil Supplies officials and black market players who are diverting foodgrain meant for the poor to private flour mills," alleged Goel.
"The PDS scam has several components like sale of foodgrain on the open market, routing of substandard foodgrain to ration shops and the ration card scam," he claimed.
The government had yesterday ordered a high-level probe into the alleged scam and recommended to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung that punitive action be taken against a senior Food and Civil Supplies department official who was found involved in "wrongdoings".
Terming the action "cosmetic", Goel also alleged that lakhs of fake rations cards had been issued over the past few years as part of the "scam to plunder foodgrain".
"Lakhs of fake ration cards were issued in the name of non -existing individuals. It had been found that in 2008 itself, more than 1.7 lakh bogus ration cards were issued in Delhi. In the past five years, Delhi government has only helped the scam grow fatter," he claimed.
