BJP’s conspiracy to stop free ration of 55 lakh needy people of Punjab will not succeed : Kulwant Singh and Kuljit Singh Randhawa
Endorse Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s decision
5 Dariya News
S.A.S. Nagar 24-Aug-2025
Endorsing the decision of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann against the BJP-led Central Government’s move to snatch away free ration benefits from 55 lakh needy people of Punjab on the pretext of e-KYC and other conditions, MLAs Kulwant Singh (Mohali) and Kuljit Singh Randhawa (Dera Bassi) today said that BJP’s conspiracy to stop free ration will not be allowed to succeed and it will be opposed on every platform.
Addressing the media today at the office of MLA Kulwant Singh in Sector 79, Mohali, both MLAs said that the poor and needy people of Punjab—who have made the country self-reliant in food production—will never be allowed to face injustice. On this occasion, Chairman of Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board Dr. Sunny Singh Ahluwalia and District Planning Committee Chairperson & District AAP President Prabhjot Kaur were also present.
MLA Kulwant Singh said that the Centre had already started this high-handedness in July by stopping free ration for 23 lakh people of Punjab, and now, from September 30, the sword is hanging over 32 lakh more beneficiaries. Thus, a total of 55 lakh people are being deprived of their rightful entitlement. He said this means that one out of every three families in the state is being denied ration, and bread is being snatched from the plates of 55 lakh people.
Terming this as BJP’s anti-people mindset, he said that the BJP-led Central Government wants to punish Punjabis for not bowing down to its pressure. He said that the conspiracy of stopping free ration on the pretext of unnecessary conditions will never be allowed to succeed. He further said that the attempt to deprive needy people of free ration benefits on the basis of owning a four-wheeler, having a government job, small landholding, or income will never succeed.
He added that a demand has been raised before the Centre to extend the deadline for e-KYC completion by six months so that verification of all 55 lakh beneficiaries can be completed and their free ration facility continues. MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa (Dera Bassi) said that Punjab has always stood strong in every crisis the nation faced. From making sacrifices for independence to filling the nation’s food reserves and defending borders, Punjabis’ contribution is exemplary.
He said that such invaluable contribution cannot be repaid with injustice like this. He pointed out that out of 1.53 crore beneficiaries, e-KYC verification of 1.29 crore beneficiaries has already been completed, and six months’ additional time has been sought from the Centre for the verification of the remaining beneficiaries.
He assured that the Bhagwant Singh Mann government will neither allow the Centre to snatch food from the plates of Punjab’s needy nor extinguish the fire of their stoves. He further added that just because Punjab makes the country self-reliant in food production, the Centre should not assume that every resident of the state is prosperous.
There are still lakhs of needy people in Punjab who require government support. Both MLAs, equivocally, strongly criticized BJP’s alleged activities of vote manipulation, illegal data collection, and now ration theft, saying that the Punjab Government is committed to safeguarding the interests of its people and will take every possible step against the adamant attitude of the Centre.