AAP says govt sold rice for poor to private firm at twice the price; Minister refutes charge

['Devansh Mittal', 'Devansh Mittal Is A Correspondent At The Indian Express', 'Based In The New Delhi City Bureau. He Reports On Urban Policy', 'Civic Governance', 'Infrastructure In The National Capital Region', 'With A Growing Focus On Housing', 'Land Policy', 'Transport', 'The Disruption Economy', 'Its Social Implications.'] The Indian Express 2026-08-10 08:16:29

The AAP on Sunday alleged that the BJP-led government in Delhi had orchestrated a “rice scam” involving subsidised foodgrain meant for the poor. Food and Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, however, dismissed the allegations as “false” and “malicious”. Instead of the grain being distributed among the poor, he further alleged, it was sold to a private company in Haryana at twice the price. Bharadwaj claimed that the rice, procured for Rs 23 per kg, was allegedly being sold to a private vendor in the open market at Rs 46 per kg. In other words, 31,000 metric tonnes of rice was being sold for Rs 143 crore every week, while Rs 70-71 crore was being earned as commission.