Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken on Thursday demanded resignation of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and also sought a CBI enquiry into the irregularities and corruption in the 'Public Distribution System (PDS) as pointed out in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on April 3.
Maken said that Kejriwal cannot “absolve” himself of the responsibility after “corruption” was flagged by the CAG. He said irregularities were also pointed out by officers concerned.
The CAG report for 2016-17, tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday, flagged many “lapses” by the food and supplies department of the Delhi government, highlighting that eight vehicles which ferried 1,589.92 quintals of specified food articles to fair price shops had registration number of buses, scooters, motorcycles and three-wheelers.
“This gives rise to doubt whether the reported transportation of SFAs (specified food articles) had actually taken place and possibility of pilferage could not be ruled out,” the report stated.
Although the officers pointed out the “scam” surrounding the ration distribution system in Delhi in five important circulars, which have been put on the public domain, the Kejriwal Government did not act to stop it, alleged Maken.
“The five circulars, issued in 2015, pointing to irregularities expose the AAP Government's claim of ignorance about corruption and scam in the public distribution system in Delhi,” Maken said.
Maken said that corruption and irregularities in the ration distribution system was happening under the nose of the Delhi Government. He said that more than nine lakh families have been deprived of ration.
Maken said Timarpur MLA Pankaj Pushkar had made written complaints to the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and the concerned department about malpractices of the ration shop but cancellation of shop's licence was revoked in a very indefensible manner by the Government.
Maken said despite the officers pointing out the scams surrounding the ration distribution system in Delhi in five important circulars, which were put on the public domain, the government and the chairmen of the Circle and District level Vigilance Committees, who are local area MLAs and MPs respectively, did not act on them.