The number of missing ration rice bags from the godown here, which had earlier been linked to the family of former minister Perni Nani, has gone up. While it was initially reported that 3,708 bags were missing, the number had gone up to 4,840. Now, it is 7,577 according to the latest inquiry. Authorities took a full month to arrive at this figure after receiving a letter from Perni Nani’s family on November 26, reporting the shortage. Despite a police case being registered on December 10, arrests have yet to be made, raising concerns about the handling of the case. Activists have criticized the slow response and alleged political interference.
It took the Krishna district administration a week to inspect the godown after getting the letter from the family on December 4. A complaint was filed on December 10, and it is reported that Perni Nani's family members ran away. These delays and no arrests have sparked questions about Perni Nani's connections with local political leaders. Activists have criticized the response of Minister Kollu Ravindra and other district representatives. Charges have been made that coalition leaders may have been preventing swift action because of their connection with Perni Nani.
The most important question still remains unanswered: who took the missing ration rice? The authorities should focus on tracing the trail of the rice from the godown and the responsible people behind the theft. Activists say that the police and civil supplies officials are not properly inquiring into these details. In the absence of proper investigation, the government will lose its credibility. The only way to regain public trust is to identify the people and gangs involved in this ration rice mafia.
The government needs to act decisively and ensure accountability in this situation. This would, at the very least, involve an immediate investigation regarding the misappropriation with proper measures in place so that such irregularities don't happen again in the future. Otherwise, public dissatisfaction will merely be a given.
