BENGALURU: Alleging that the government is not supplying adequate quantities of ration to the needy in constituencies represented by Congress leaders, members of the Mahila Congress raised slogans and marched towards the chief minister’s residence on Sunday. They were arrested and later released.
The protesters complained that in Shanthinagar, Chamarajpet, BTM Layout, Jayanagar, Vijayanagar and other constituencies that have Congress leaders in power, ration is not being distributed properly by government agencies.
They said that MLAs — NA Haris, Zameer Ahmed Khan, Ramalinga Reddy, Sowmya Reddy and M Krishnappa — were all distributing ration and food kits by spending from their own pockets.
Around 30,000-50,000 food packets and ration kits are being distributed in these four constituencies in the city, helping daily wage workers, auto drivers, housemaids, electricians, plumbers and others who lead a hand-to-mouth existence, they said.
Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy, who was one of the leaders at the forefront of the protest, told TNIE, “Each constituency has about four lakh-plus population, but they have not given us enough ration. They gave us small quantities and it has not lasted. Every day, I am supplying the ration using my own resources and we also get around 10,000 kits as donation. How long can we feed the people? It has been more than a month since the lockdown and how can the government do this to us? I have called, met and written letters to the chief minister and ministers, but nothing has happened. I don’t know what more to do.”
The protesters were led by four former ministers -- Umashree, Jayamala, Rani Satish and Motamma, MLA Anjali Nimbalkar and KPCC women’s wing president Pushpa Amarnath. As the march reached near Shivananda Circle, it was stopped by the police.
Sowmya Reddy alleged, “The police behaved rudely and threatened us.” Another Congress worker said that though the protest was by women, the police, despite not having any women officers, used force.
The Mahila Congress members were arrested and taken first to Mysuru Road and later brought to the Ulsoor Gate police station, where they staged a protest again.
“While genuine people are not being given ration, the Sarjapur godown racket shows how certain BJP members are siphoning off the food and supplying it to the black market,’’ alleged a Congress leader.
The Congress workers also protested against the misuse of power at the “state government godowns” by some BJP workers.