Congress stages protest by holding rice plates in Mangaluru

The Congress workers staged a protest by holding rice plates against the Centre for denying rice to Karnataka for its ‘10 -kg free rice’ scheme—Anna Bhagya, in front of Mini Vidhana Soudha in Mangaluru on Tuesday.

The protesters alleged that Food Corporation of India (FCI) had positively responded to the state’s request for additional rice to its flagship programme of supplying 10-kg free rice for the BPL card holders. However, owing to the pressure from the centre, later it declined to supply additional rice.

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Former Minister Ramanath Rai said that the Centre is denying rice for the poor, which is condemnable.

Normally, FCI supplies rice to states and the state government decides on the rice distribution through a public distribution system. “In fact, the Congress government in the state in the past initiated the programme of Anna Bhagya by supplying 7-kg rice free for the BPL card holders. The BJP- led central government is trying to scuttle the Congress’ welfare scheme, he alleged.

Former MLA J R Lobo said that the centre is depriving people of food security by denying additional rice and thereby proved that BJP is following anti-people policy.

DCC President Harish Kumar, former minister Abhayachandra Jain and others were present.