Delhi Rice Subsidy Row: AAP Alleges ₹22,000 Crore Scam, BJP Cites CAG Report

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday exchanged corruption allegations over the procurement and distribution of subsidised rice meant for the poor in Delhi. The AAP claimed irregularities in the sale of rice could involve ₹22,000 crore over three years, while the BJP pointed to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that flagged "large-scale financial irregularities" during the AAP's tenure.

At a press conference, AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj said that on the recommendation of Food Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa's department, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had agreed to supply 31,000 tonnes of heavily subsidised rice every week to the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC) in Assam for distribution among Delhi's poor over a three-year period.

"Instead, the corporation allegedly sold the rice to a private company in Haryana at nearly double the price, generating ₹70 crore to ₹71 crore in commission every week. At this rate, rice worth ₹22,000 crore would have been sold over three years, generating ₹11,000 crore in commission," Mr. Bharadwaj claimed.

He said the Central government's vigilance officials had detected the "alleged racket" and suspended an officer, but the Delhi government had remained silent. He demanded that Chief Minister Rekha Gupta seek Mr. Sirsa's resignation and fix responsibility for the alleged scam.

Responding to the allegations, Mr. Sirsa threatened legal action. He gave AAP leaders 24 hours to withdraw their allegations and issue a public apology, failing which he said he would initiate appropriate legal proceedings. "Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjeev Jha have today again made baseless, false, fabricated and malicious allegations against me, clearly intended to defame and malign me. Such a malicious campaign appears to be their modus operandi. Apologise or we will meet in court," Mr. Sirsa stated on X.

Meanwhile, Delhi's Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh rejected the AAP's allegations and cited a CAG report tabled in the Assembly on August 7. He said the report pointed to "large-scale financial irregularities" during the AAP's 11-year tenure in the Capital.

The Delhi government said it had received 24 CAG reports in the past 18 months, each exposing corruption involving thousands of crores of rupees during the AAP's rule. Citing the findings, Mr. Singh alleged that former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flouted rules, floated 1,185 manual tenders and inserted arbitration clauses in tenders, leading to large-scale irregularities and loss of public money.

"A total of ₹70,410 crore in tax revenue was outstanding against some businesses. The GST Department, in collusion with certain industrialists and business owners, allowed their outstanding GST liabilities to remain pending," Mr. Singh said. He added that the CAG report stated that "bogus" e-way bills worth ₹68,680 crore had been generated.

The CAG is an independent constitutional body, and its reports are often used by political parties to criticise opponents. In this case, the AAP's fresh allegations focus on a purported scheme involving FCI, a central government agency, and NERAMAC, while the BJP's counter references CAG findings on the previous AAP government. Neither set of claims has been independently verified, and legal action has been threatened by both sides.

The exchange highlights the intense political rivalry between the AAP and the BJP in Delhi, with each party seeking to gain electoral advantage ahead of future contests. The controversy also raises questions about the oversight of subsidised food distribution programmes, which are critical for the welfare of the poor.