Published On:Sunday, 2 October 2011
Punjabis protest against Montek for Rs32 per day BPL saga, plans to implement Aruna aunty's offer
"Montek should explain us how did he calculate the Rs32 per day per person as below poverty line," said a furious Sardar Dingy Singh to DCFC reporter.
"No Sikh can live on day to day basis for just Rs32 per day. Do you know what is the cost of Paneer which is the most important food ingredient in Punjabi's life. It costs at least Rs50 per 25gm and one litre milk costs Rs30-32 per litre that too without cream. This is a big conspiracy to show that no Punjabi can come under below poverty line status and that too from two Punjabis," said Manpreet Singh Bally.
Liquor expert Lovely Singh said "Somebody, her name was Aruna Roy (Aruna aunty) advised Montek to live on Rs32 per day. We plan to give him Rs32 and will ask him manage 1 entire day with food and other required bills. Even Bhajji's famous Royal Stag whisky which is necessary as a mouth freshner before dinner, costs Rs615. He himself will not drink the Royal Stag whisky up to the limit of Rs32. At that levels even he will not get first kick. Rs32 per day is not even proper for country liquor consumers only. He should seriously rethink addition of these consumers to his BPL list."
"This way Punjab should be the wealthiest state in India where the most expensive milk products are consumed most and costs are more than Rs32 per day per person," political expert Surjeet Bindra said.
Punjab wide agitation had prompted Montek Singh Ahluwalia, one of the most intellectuals in Congress Government and Planning Commission deputy chairperson to take a defensive stand. Sources said "We are going to consider addition of paneer, milk and hard liquor in our rural and urban BPL measurement. The commission has so far argued that the figures mentioned in the Suresh Tendulkar report were comprehensive and final for estimating poverty. But they are revising it now to file a fresh affidavit that will delink the Tendulkar report from the poverty figures." 
