BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar requested the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to intervene and direct the Telangana government to restore the 19 lakh ration cards removed without a proper reason. He wrote a letter to NHRC on Saturday and released it to the media on Sunday.
In the letter, Mr. Sanjay Kumar alleged that the government has arbitrarily cancelled ration cards and blocking fresh applications. “The Telangana government has cancelled 19 lakh ration cards, allowing no grievance redressal mechanism and not opening the computer system for fresh application for ration cards,” said Mr. Sanjay Kumar.
Informing that these cards were cancelled without mentioning any reason, the BJP president said that 19 lakh families were thrown out of the food safety security net.
“Ration cards ensure food and nutrition through the PDS for families living below the poverty line. The ration card is the only thing that keeps them from slipping into starvation. Right to Food is part of right to dignity and life. The National Food Security Act creates an obligation on the State to provide nutrition through PDS,” he said.
“There is a clear violation of Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution, and violation of human dignity as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. We request the NHRC to order the Government of Telangana to immediately lift the cancellation of the 19 lakh ration cards. We also request it to order the TS government to immediately lift the ban on fresh applications and issue ration cards to those 7 lakh families, pending with the government, within three months,” urged Mr. Sanjay Kumar.
