Shiv Sena demands immediate rollback of mandatory face authentication for ration distributionRation is a right of the poor, not a government charity: Manish Sahni

JAMMU, Oct 30: The Jammu and Kashmir unit of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) has strongly condemned the decision of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department (FCS&CA) to make face authentication of the head of the family mandatory for ration distribution. Addressing a press conference at the party’s state office in Indira Chowk, Jammu, State President Manish Sahni demanded the immediate withdrawal of what he termed an arbitrary and regressive directive.

Sahni asserted that ration is a fundamental entitlement of the poor and not a favour extended by the government or the FCS&CA Department. He said technology should make public services more accessible and convenient, rather than create additional hardships for economically weaker sections.

Questioning the rationale behind the decision, Sahni asked whether the department had lost faith in existing fingerprint authentication and mobile OTP facilities, or whether the move would potentially deprive genuine beneficiaries of their rightful ration. He termed making face authentication the sole mode of verification unfair to the poor and demanded that alternative authentication mechanisms, including fingerprints and OTPs, remain available.

Shiv Sena also raised concerns over the problems faced by ration depot operators and demanded immediate verification and clearance of their commission payments, pending for several months. Sahni warned that continued neglect of beneficiaries and depot operators would compel the party to launch a strong democratic agitation, for which the administration would be held.