Congress In The Dock As BJP Alleges Anna Bhagya Rice Being Smuggled To Dubai, Singapore

Last Updated:December 09, 2025, 09:42 IST

For Congress, Anna Bhagya remains among the most important of its programmes. But repeated seizures and allegations of international smuggling have handed BJP a powerful weapon

There have been several reported cases of Anna Bhagya rice being diverted this year, including a major one that surfaced in September in Karnataka’s Gangavathi. (Pexels Image for Representation)

The Congress government’s flagship “guarantee" scheme called Anna Bhagya (providing free rice and pulses)—projected as a lifeline for Karnataka’s poorest—has come under heavy political fire once again after senior BJP leader and MLC CT Ravi alleged that rice meant for the underprivileged is being siphoned off, polished, repackaged and sold in foreign markets, including Dubai and Singapore, for as much as Rs 150 per kilo.

Ravi made the allegations while speaking in the Karnataka Legislative Council during the ongoing winter session, accusing the government of turning a blind eye as the free rice guarantee is allegedly being converted into an international black-market trade.

Speaking to News18, Ravi said: “Rice meant for the poor is being polished, packed and sent to Dubai and Singapore. It is being diverted and sold in the black market. Rice is being sold in Dubai for Rs 150. They are selling it under different international brands."

Ravi demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe what he described as a major “mafia" with deep roots in the system. “They claim they have made arrests. They have only arrested some lower-rung workers. What about the big fish?" he asked, insisting that the current legal framework is not strong enough to handle an international smuggling ring.

Karnataka food and civil supplies minister KH Muniyappa dismissed allegations of political involvement and said an inquiry was already in motion. “Four people have been detained in connection with this. We will ensure the rice reaches the poor. We will take action under the existing law," he said.

But Ravi told News18 that the laws were too weak and an SIT was necessary to uncover the network.

Congress Responds

Speaking to CNN-News18, SR Mehroz, vice-chairperson of the Karnataka State Guarantees Implementation Authority, acknowledged that there have been instances of rice being resold and repackaged but firmly rejected the allegation that it was being exported.

“I don’t have any information about Dubai or Singapore. But from the day of distribution under Anna Bhagya or any PDS scheme, there are some instances—especially in North Karnataka—where people resell the rice. There is mafia involvement, yes. They polish the rice, they package it and sell it elsewhere. But the vigilance department is alert. They seize rice, they have arrested people, and even officers involved have faced departmental inquiries and suspensions. This is not new. How can you blame the government?" he asked.

On the government’s crackdown, Mehroz said the Food and Civil Supplies Department acts on every specific complaint. “This is not happening regularly across the state. Whenever there is information, they seize the rice, they make arrests. In our review meetings, we are very particular about action."

Smuggling Trails: Instances This Year

There have been several reported cases of Anna Bhagya rice being diverted this year, including a major one that surfaced in September in Karnataka’s Gangavathi.

In early September, the Food and Civil Supplies Department raided a rice mill in Gangavathi and discovered large quantities of Anna Bhagya rice illegally stored. Investigators found that the diverted rice was being taken to private mills, where it was refined, rebranded with foreign labels and then shipped to markets in Dubai, France and Singapore. The repackaged bags were measured into 10 kg and 25 kg sacks and labelled with brands such as Volga, AAA, Dar Double Star and Dynasty—all of which are popular in Gulf and European markets.

In this case alone, enforcement teams seized nearly 60 tonnes of rice valued at over Rs 6 crore. As part of the crackdown, authorities sealed Sri Laxmi Venkateshwara Rice Mill in Gurumathkal, Kalaburagi district, where another large stockpile of government rice was found hidden.

This raid also exposed links to mills and godowns in Uttara Kannada and Hassan, where officials found additional caches of diverted government rice.

During the investigation, officials stumbled upon bags printed with the brand ‘Lal’ and Arabic lettering. Their inquiry revealed that at least 171 quintals of government rice had already been exported to Dubai, fetching nearly Rs 15,000 per 10 kg bag in the foreign retail market.

On September 21, another major haul took place in Udupi district when Kaup police raided a godown in Nadsalu village. They seized 13,073 kg of PDS rice—boiled rice, white rice, loose sacks, and machinery used for weighing and stitching. The seizure was valued at over Rs 2.8 lakh.

Earlier, on August 5, officials in Ponnampet caught a man transporting 779 kg of Anna Bhagya rice by hiding it beneath banana sacks. He had allegedly been collecting rice from poor families in Gonikoppal for months, exploiting their vulnerability for profit.

For the Congress, Anna Bhagya remains among the most important of its guarantee programmes. But repeated seizures, raids and allegations of international smuggling have handed the BJP a powerful political weapon. With the winter session underway, the BJP has intensified its attack on the government, arguing that the scheme has been compromised at multiple levels.

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