Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Congress has decided to stage state-wide protests against the Central government over the alleged scuttling of rice supply for the recently launched 'Anna Bhagya scheme', which provides free ration to the poor. KPCC President and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar made this announcement while addressing a press conference at the KPCC office here on Friday.
He said, "BJP is a party that betrays the poor. We will protest against the Central government in all the district centres next Tuesday. We have given instructions to the activists and we will protest in the taluk centres. We launched a programme to attract people's attention," he said. The Karnataka Congress government and the Centre are at loggerheads after the Centre allegedly barred the Food Corporation of India from selling rice for the recently launched Anna Bhagya scheme of free ration for the poor in the state.
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The scheme of providing a 10 kg free ration per person per month was one of the five “guarantees” of the Congress in its Karnataka manifesto. Shivakumar took a dig at the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President JP Nadda, over the alleged denial of rice for the scheme.
The Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister said that the Food Corporation of India had agreed to provide the state with 2.84 metric tonnes of rice at Rs 34 per kg, but backtracked on their promise. “But they are not giving. We are not asking for free. Politics should not be done on the issue of the poor,” DK Shivakumar said.
He said that the implementation of the 'Anna Bhagya' scheme may be delayed by another two or three days. “We are negotiating with neighbouring states in this regard. We can buy in the open market." But, it should be done transparently,” he added. Shivakumar said that, he along with CM Siddaramaiah, will visit Delhi on June 21 to meet the party president and the Union ministers in this regard.
