Fair price shop owners flay Kejriwal for ‘super spreader’ tag, knocks HC door against doorstep delivery of ration

NEW DELHI: Amid the tussle between the Centre and AAP government over doorstep delivery of ration, the Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh, which has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court against the scheme, raised objection to the comment made by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that Fair Price Shops (FPS) are “super spreaders”. 

“The chief minister knows that delivering ration to lakhs of people and delivering pizza are two different things. The new scheme talks about turning the entire Targeted Public Distribution System on its head. Since the CM termed FPS shops ‘super spreaders’, I want to ask him what is happening at Delhi government schools which are distributing ration to people?” Saurabh Gupta, general secretary of Delhi Sarkari Ration Dealers Sangh, said.

During a virtual press briefing, Kejriwal, while speaking about the Centre’s rejection of the door delivery of ration scheme, had said, “The scheme will also help prevent the spread of the coronavirus” and added that these shops (FPS) are “super spreaders”.

“The same precautions that we take at ration shops are being followed at these schools which are distributing food grains. Then, why is the CM branding us ‘super spreaders’? It is just because the Delhi government wants to push the policy without following rules. They want to destroy our livelihoods, but our legal fight will continue” added Gupta.

The FPS shop owners said the government should address the issues in the public distribution system rather than campaigning against it.

‘Fix the fewissues, not destroy PDS’

Kejriwal had said the new scheme would help prevent the spread of Covid and added that FPS are “super spreaders”.

The FPS owners feel the government should address the issues in the public distribution system (PDS) rather than campaigning against and destroying it