Kerala Government Rejects Directive to Display PM’s Photo at Ration Shops, Citing Election Campaign Tactics

The Kerala government has decided to defy the Union Government’s directive requiring the display of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photos and the National Food Security Act (NFSA) logo at ration shops across the state. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, responding to a query in the assembly, labeled the selfie campaign as a strategic move by the BJP in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. He emphasized that such actions were not appropriate and would be challenging to implement, signaling the state’s reluctance to comply. State Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, G R Anil, revealed that the Centre had instructed over 14,000 ration shops in Kerala to display banners and flex featuring the Prime Minister’s photo. Moreover, the directive included the installation of selfie points at 550 select ration shops, along with instructions to use carry bags bearing the government’s logo. However, the Kerala government, citing concerns over the political nature of these campaigns during an election year, declared its decision not to implement these directives.