Politics on Rice

Politics on rice started in India for the first time in the year 1967 when Mr C.N Annadurai, the founder of D.M.K party in Tamil Nadu made a promise for Re One a measure of rice in the election manifesto and won the general elections to the state assembly defeating the congress party. Such a promise was needed to destabilise the national party ruling the state since independence.

Similarly the Telugu Desam Party founder Mr N.T.Rama Rao too had to resort to a heavily-subsidised rice scheme @ Rs Two a kilo for winning the elections to Andhra Pradesh State Assembly by defeating the congress, the national party. Self-respect for Telugus and the rice scheme alone could help the T.D party win the elections to both the state assembly in 1983 and the Lok Sabha in 1984.

When Mr M.Karunanidhi, the D.M.K supremo realised that it was difficult to dislodge the AIADMK from power in 2006, he too announced the supply of rice @ Rs Two a kg if voted to power along with other freebies.

Ms Jayalaliha, a non-believer in freebies otherwise, had to succumb to rice politics and include free supply of 20 kgs of rice per BPL card and 35 kgs to Anthyodaya cards in response to DMK's offer. Knowing the level of black marketing in ration shops the new state government under her leadership has launched this week a drive to spruce up the distribution channel from 310 godowns to 32000 ration shops located all over the state. She is trying to plug the loopholes and tighten the machinery under the provisions of Black Market Act with the help of Government of India in this regard.

There is no doubt that the cereal rice is the main diet of the poor in our country and as long as the poor get it cheaper or free as directed by the Supreme Court in the case of the downtrodden and the destitutes, there is no problem. But if the same facility is misused by the middlemen and the political functionaries, the scheme becomes a mockery of the system and a drain on our scarce resources.