Opposition alleged the ‘rat’ explanation was a cover for the scam as paddy worth Rs 30 crore has either rotted, gone missing or been written off RAIPUR: ‘Rats’ have become Chhattisgarh’s newest political flashpoint after managers at paddy procurement centres blamed rodents, among other reasons, for paddy worth crores of rupees going missing or rotting.In Kabirdham district, about 26,000 quintals of paddy worth Rs 7 crore were reported ‘damaged’, dried or missing from two procurement centres. Officials initially cited rats, termites, and weather as reasons for the loss, triggering a backlash from opposition parties which alleged a statewide scam in grain procurement and storage.The state issued a clarification, stating that reduction in paddy weight due to moisture loss and minor pest-related damage is a scientific, natural and decades-old phenomenon, not evidence of corruption. Officials stressed that paddy loses weight when stored in open due to evaporation of moisture, a physical process recognised across all major paddy-producing states.However, opposition parties alleged the ‘rat’ explanation was a cover for the scam as paddy worth Rs 30 crore across Kabirdham, Mahasamund, Jashpur, and Bastar has either rotted, gone missing or been written off on account of pests, moisture, and weather.Janta Congress Chhattisgarh launched a ‘wanted rats’ campaign in Kabirdham’s Kawardha, putting up posters across district. The party’s state chief, Amit Jogi alleged, “They are saying rats ate paddy. So, we have put up posters and are searching for this missing rat.” He urged people to tell the party “whether these rats have four legs or two.”As the controversy grew, BJP MP Brijmohan Agrawal added fuel to the fire with a sarcastic remark that the govt would “arrange cats for the treatment of rats” accused of devouring paddy. Congress pounced on the comment, calling it proof that the govt was trivialising large-scale losses. Former CM Bhupesh Baghel posted on X, “Guarantee of rats, good governance of rats.”About the AuthorRashmi DroliaRashmi is a Special Correspondent with The Times of India in Chhattisgarh. She covers Politics, Left Wing Extremism, Crime and Human Rights among other areas of news value.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNew Army Video Highlights Operation Sindoor Strikes On Terror Camps And AirbasesBJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi Warns Against Left Ideologies, Launches Tarun Vijay’S Book Mantra-ViplavFrom Denial To Confession: Lashkar Commander Confirms Op Sindoor Hit, Lays Bare Pak Terror StateIndia-EU FTA Gets A Date As Ursula Von Der Leyen Confirms January Signing With PM ModiH-1B Visa Shake-Up Fuels Anti-Indian Campaigns as Donald Trump’s Policy Reshapes US HiringTrump Visa Crackdown Hits India’s Neighbours, US Pauses Immigration For Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal’India Fully Ready For Any Threat And Long Wars Ahead’: COAS Dwivedi Signals Pakistan On Army DayBMC Polls 2026: Inside Mumbai’s Civic Giant Whose Budget Is Bigger Than Many Indian StatesI-PAC Raid Row: SC Halts WB Police FIRs against ED, Seeks Mamata’s ReplyON CAM: 200 Sikhs Rescue 16-Year-Old Girl In London, Say She Was Groomed By Afghan Man123PhotostoriesHow to look expensive on a budget: The sandwich theory on the visual arithmetic of the 2026 urban professionalEntrepreneurs, take notes: 5 habits Elon Musk swears by for business successRani Mukerji completes 30 years: Lesser-known facts about Bollywood’s fierce performerFrom Zoe Saldaña to Dwayne Johnson: Highest-grossing Hollywood celebrities of all timeHow to make South Indian Red Garlic Chutney at homeOne heart? Not enough! Meet 5 animals that go beyondRare baby boy names from Indian mythology that still sound modern in 202614 traditional Gujarati mithais and desserts you must tryExclusive: From revealing the ‘most searched’ question about Shark Tank India on AI tools to advice for young entrepreneurs; Ritesh Agarwal’s candid revelationsA festive style guide to the most beautiful types of parandis123Hot PicksIran protestsBudget 2026Gold rate todayBank holiday todayAmrit Bharat ExpressPublic holidays January 2026Bank Holidays JanuaryTop TrendingMLB Trade RumorsGabrielle UnionMemphis Grizzlies vs Orlando MagicLeBron JamesPhil Taylor Net WorthIShowSpeedNHL Injury UpdateBrittany MahomesJim LeonhardJaxson Dart Girlfriend
Opposition alleged the ‘rat’ explanation was a cover for the scam as paddy worth Rs 30 crore has either rotted, gone missing or been written off
RAIPUR: ‘Rats’ have become Chhattisgarh’s newest political flashpoint after managers at paddy procurement centres blamed rodents, among other reasons, for paddy worth crores of rupees going missing or rotting.In Kabirdham district, about 26,000 quintals of paddy worth Rs 7 crore were reported ‘damaged’, dried or missing from two procurement centres. Officials initially cited rats, termites, and weather as reasons for the loss, triggering a backlash from opposition parties which alleged a statewide scam in grain procurement and storage.The state issued a clarification, stating that reduction in paddy weight due to moisture loss and minor pest-related damage is a scientific, natural and decades-old phenomenon, not evidence of corruption. Officials stressed that paddy loses weight when stored in open due to evaporation of moisture, a physical process recognised across all major paddy-producing states.However, opposition parties alleged the ‘rat’ explanation was a cover for the scam as paddy worth Rs 30 crore across Kabirdham, Mahasamund, Jashpur, and Bastar has either rotted, gone missing or been written off on account of pests, moisture, and weather.Janta Congress Chhattisgarh launched a ‘wanted rats’ campaign in Kabirdham’s Kawardha, putting up posters across district. The party’s state chief, Amit Jogi alleged, “They are saying rats ate paddy. So, we have put up posters and are searching for this missing rat.” He urged people to tell the party “whether these rats have four legs or two.”As the controversy grew, BJP MP Brijmohan Agrawal added fuel to the fire with a sarcastic remark that the govt would “arrange cats for the treatment of rats” accused of devouring paddy. Congress pounced on the comment, calling it proof that the govt was trivialising large-scale losses. Former CM Bhupesh Baghel posted on X, “Guarantee of rats, good governance of rats.”
