BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that ration cardholders are being forced to buy the national flag, sharing a video wherein a man, seemingly the ration dealer, said the order came from the government via the inspector.

The video was recorded by a news portal in Karnal, Haryana’s, according to an NDTV report. The locals allege that they were forced to buy the flag, while some who did not have money were not given the full ration they were entitled to. “We have been told not to give ration to anyone who refuses to buy the flag. We have to do what we are ordered to,” NDTV quoted the apparent ration dealer as saying.