Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's proposal for doorstep delivery of food rations in the national capital, labelling it "jumla" (a false promise) and accusing the ruling AAP of links to the "ration mafia".
Mr Prasad demanded to know why his government was one of just two holding out against the ruling BJP's 'one nation, one ration card' scheme that is meant to help people from economically weaker sections get basic food supplies at a fair price.
"This ration delivery to homes sounds like a novel idea... but if you check the plan details you will find so many loopholes and possibilities for corruption. Is this what Arvind Kejriwal wants? Do you (Mr Kejriwal) want to break the law and fool the people?" Mr Prasad shouted a question out to gathered reporters.
An apoplectic Union Minister also mocked the Mr Kejriwal because "he is talking about home delivery of ration when he even failed to provide oxygen to the people of Delhi".
"Arvind Kejriwal is talking about home delivery of ration when he even failed to provide oxygen to the people of Delhi. The Delhi government is under the control of the ration mafia," he raged.
Last week the centre blocked a doorstep food rations delivery scheme Delhi said would benefit 72 lakh people past the economic hardship - loss of jobs and wages - as a result of the lockdown.
Lt Governor Anil Baijal returned the file citing lack of central approval and an ongoing court case.
A furious Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "Mr Prime Minister, what kind of an arrangement do you have with the ration mafia that you had to stop the Kejriwal government's 'Ghar Ghar Ration Scheme'?"
Days later an apparently now-subdued Mr Kejriwal wrote to the Prime Minister to seek his help in overturning the centre's decision to block the doorstep delivery of food rations.
The AAP government in Delhi had cleared the proposal to allow home delivery of rations in July last year; it was one of the promises made by the party in the run-up to the February assembly polls.
With input from ANI
