New Delhi, Aug. 10 -- Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Sunday demanded an apology from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), refuting allegations of irregularities in rice distribution levelled by the principal opposition party. "Sh. Saurabh Bharadwaj ((AAP Delhi chief)) and Sh. Sanjeev Jha (AAP leader) have today again made baseless, false, fabricated and malicious allegations against me, clearly intended to defame and malign me...But enough is enough," he said in a post on X. "I give both Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjeev Jha 24 hours to withdraw these false allegations and issue a public apology, failing which I shall be constrained to initiate appropriate legal proceedings against both of them and hold them accountable for these malicious acts," he further said. Addressing a press conference, Bharadwaj alleged that an Assam-based corporation had approached Sirsa in January, offering to distribute subsidised rice among people, including migrant workers and those without ration cards. According to Bharadwaj, Sirsa allegedly forwarded the proposal to a special commissioner on April 8, asking that it be considered as per rules. "One of the officials in the department allegedly emailed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) the same day, requesting that around 31,000 metric tonnes of rice be supplied every week to Assam corporation," he said. Bharadwaj claimed that the rice, which was available at around Rs.23.20 per kg, was instead being sold in the open market to a private company in Haryana at nearly Rs.46 per kg. He alleged that the matter came to light following a complaint to the Central Vigilance Commission, after which the government suspended the official who had emailed the FCI. Hitting back, Sirsa said also said, "Such a malicious campaign appears to be their modus operandi."...