"Congress in Karnataka is running a government of half lies": Tejasvi Surya on FCI issue

New Delhi [India], June 16 : Refuting the Karnataka Government's allegation that the Center is putting a hindrance to its rollout of "Anna Bhagya", a scheme of giving free food grain to below-poverty-line households, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya called the Congress-led government a government running on half-truths.

"Congress in Karnataka is running a government of half lies with respect to this FCI (Food Corporation of India ) issue," he said in Delhi on Thursday while speaking to ANI.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had alleged that the Union Government was not allowing the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to sell rice to the state to roll out its "Anna Bhagya" scheme which envisages giving Below Poverty Line household and Antyodaya card holders 10 kg of food grains for free starting from July 1.

Tejasvi Surya said that the Congress' allegation that the Center is denying free foodgrains to Karnataka is false.

"Under the National Food Security Act, every person in Karnataka, like the rest of the country is entitled to 5kgs of foodgrains. Therefore their (Congress) allegation that the Center is denying free foodgrains to Karnataka is false," Tejasvi Surya added.

The "Anna Bhagya" scheme is one of the five election promises made by Congress ahead of the Karnataka assembly election. In the State Five kg of rice is already being given to members of BPL households. Now through this scheme, Congress wants to enhance the free grain to 10 kg.