Red wheat is still in distribution, alleges Somaiya

Mumbai, Oct 22 (UNI) Alleging that red wheat was still under distribution at Sawantwadi in Maharashtra, former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya today demanded immediate orders to stop distribution rotten imported red wheat and laboratory testing of all such grains lying in various godowns of state government and Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Talking to reporters here, Dr Somaiya demanded action against officials who continued to sell rotten wheat to the people below poverty line, old people under Annapurna Scheme and the scheduled tribes.

He said on October 20 he, along with BJP leaders of Sindhudurg, had visited ration shop of Banda in Sindhudurg district, where they witnessed that the Shop No1 of Banda Consumers' Society was selling the red wheat fully infested with insects.

The BJP leader said he sealed five samples of the rotten wheat in the presence of shopkeeper, Vinayak Yedve, and a Panchnama was signed by Ashok Sawant, the Deputy Sarpanch of Banda.

Dr Somaiya along with BJP spokesperson, Madhav Bhandari, also visited the government godown at Sawantwadi and found hundreds of bags of rotten imported red wheat lying in the godown. The godown keeper intimated them that the rotten infected wheat was being supplied by PDS shops through various BPL, Antyodaya and Annapurna Schemes in the Sindhudurg District.

Again, he obtained five sealed samples from there in the presence of godown keeper and a panchnama was signed by local residents, he said, adding that the sealed samples of the wheat have been submitted to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar's office in Delhi.

The BJP has also handed over similar sealed samples to the Minister of State of Civil Supplies of Maharashtra.

Dr Somaiya said he would present the wheat samples to the Human Rights Commission during the hearing, to be held on October 26, in the room of the chairperson of Maharashtra Human Rights Commission at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).

Meanwhile, the party has asked for an appointment with the Prime Minister on the issue.

Dr Somaiya also alleged that the Congress deliberately procured less of the domestic wheat as they wanted to import.

Replying to the allegation of Mr Pawar that the BJP-ruled states did not help in procurement, he said the procurement was done directly by the FCI.

UNI