Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah on Wednesday wrote to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa accusing his government of attempting to systematically shut down Indira Canteens. In his two-page letter, Siddaramaiah highlighted that these canteens haven’t received funds from civic agencies over the last few months. He said the government was deliberately starving them of funds to shut them down eventually and warned that such a move would affect the urban poor who were dependent on these outlets for subsidised food.
“Funds of about Rs 28 crore over the last six months have not been released to Indira Canteens in BBMP limits. BWSSB has cut off the water supply to 198 canteens and 12 kitchens over pending dues. You had attempted to rename Indira Canteens and politicise it earlier too,” Siddaramaiah alleged in his letter.
Indira Canteens have been on the BJP government’s radar ever since the party came to power with Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan even demanding an audit of its functioning amid allegation of misappropriation of funds. During the Covid-19 lockdown, the government had gone back and forth on keeping the canteens open. Siddaramaiah, whose flagship programme it is, has demanded that the government release funds immediately and ensure these canteens are up and running.