Jyotin Waikhom throws up more questions on rice distribution
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 02 2020: Reacting to the stand of Thangmeiband AC MLA Kh Joykisan and dubbing it as confusing and unclear, State BJP vice president Jyotin Waikhom has asserted that the duty of the elected MLA is not to confuse the people but to lead by example.

In a statement issued to the press today, Jyotin Waikhom said that the challenge of a public debate thrown by the MLA is to divert from the issue at hand and added that any debate should help clear things in front of the people of Thangmeiband AC.

The BJP State vice president alleged that after a meeting with the DC of Imphal West along with some representatives of minorities settled in Ward number 25 of Thangmeiband AC it was agreed that the PMGKAY rice quota for April would be released soon.

However, the rice quota is yet to be received and why should this point disturb the MLA so much, questioned Jyotin Waikhom and suggested that the MLA should instead try to help the people get their share.

The excuse that non-Manipuris do not eat rice and hence some other replacements were given is not acceptable, added Jyotin Waikhom.

Taking note of the stand of the MLA that a CBI probe would be welcome, Jyotin Waikhom said that there should be no middlemen in the distribution PMGKAY rice and the Chief Secretary himself had issued an order to this effect under instructions from the Prime Minister.

Despite this, the MLA had been interfering in the distribution of PMGKAY rice, alleged the BJP leader and asked why this is so.

The MLA has also not answered when the NFSA rice for March was received and when it was distributed, said the BJP leader and added that the Chief Minister should get the Vigilance Department to probe how the rice distribution work was taken up.

In Thangmeiband AC rice under NFSA is distributed under three categories, namely card holder, exercise book and booth committee, said Jyotin Waikhom and questioned from where does the share of the booth committee members come from? And for those who come with exercise book with seals embossed, Jyotin questioned how this can replace the documents issued by the DC, and added that this practise is not seen anywhere in the other ACs of Manipur.

The MLA may say that rice distribution should not be politicised but the distribution work of rice under PMGKAY are being done by Congress workers.

Why was the proposal that the Thangmeiband United Club should be involved in the rice distribution work turned down, asked the BJP leader.

Jyotin Waikhom also questioned how 50 bags of NFSA/PMGKAY rice were given to the Sikh Gurudwara Committee when it cannot be just given away like that and demanded legal action against the MLA for the alleged transgression.

Setting the record straight, Jyotin Waikhom said that the NFSA rice distributed on April 2 was bought by the State Government and given for distribution and the PMGKAY rice lifted on April 9/10 was distributed from April 20 to 25.However, it should not be taken to mean that the rice distributed to the migrant workers of Ward number 25 should be taken to mean that it was the rice given under PMGKAY, alleged Jyotin Waikhom.

The BJP leader also urged four agents of fair price shops to freely distribute the rice under PMGKAY and not hold them up.

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