Mysore/Mysuru: Accusing the BJP headed NDA Government at the Centre of denying supply of rice for the implementation of ‘Anna Bhagya’ Scheme in the State, the City and District Congress, as part of a Statewide agitation, staged a demonstration at Gandhi Square in the heart of the city this morning.

Accusing the BJP Government at the Centre of intentionally blocking supplies of rice from its stocks for the implementation of ‘Anna Bhagya’ that aims at providing 10 kg of free rice every month to each member of BPL family, the Congress workers raised slogans against the BJP, accusing it of being against the poor.

Holding placards that carried messages against the Centre and PM Modi, the protestors alleged that the Centre was playing politics over rice. Alleging that the Centre had also failed to supply medical oxygen to Karnataka during COVID, they accused Modi of favouring big industrialists like Adani and Ambani, while ignoring the poor and the hungry.

The Congress registered its protest by displaying rice and plate.

City Congress President R. Murthy, District President Dr.B.J. Vijaykumar, former MLA M.K. Somashekar, former Mayors Narayana and T.B. Chikkanna, leaders M. Lakshmana, B.M. Ramu and others were present.

BJP stages counter protest

Strongly condemning the Congress for falsely accusing the Centre over rice supply for Anna Bhagya, the BJP staged a demonstration in front of ZP Office here this morning in protest against what it called the failure of the Congress Government in implementing its pre-poll guarantees.

Asserting that it is PM Modi who is giving 5 kgs of rice for free to beneficiaries, the BJP workers argued that the Congress must make its own arrangements for implementation of its much hyped ‘Anna Bhagya’ instead of falsely blaming the Centre for its follies.

Terming the Congress party’s five poll guarantees  — Shakti, Gruha Jyothi, Gruha Lakshmi, Anna Bhagya and Yuva Nidhi — as nothing but falsehood to fool the people, the workers raised slogans against the Congress Government. They held placards that carried messages such as ‘Akki Sullu, Sullu Guarantee, Pollu Bharavase’ and other such slogans against the Siddharamaiah Government.

Charging the Congress of unfairly targeting the BJP Government at the Centre over rice issue, they maintained that the guarantees were causing  confusions and confabulations in families.

MLA T.S. Srivatsa, former MLA L. Nagendra, former Mayor Sandesh Swamy, BJP State Vice-President M. Rajendra, BJP leader M.V. Ravishankar, Mysuru District BJP President Mangala Somashekar Mangala Somashekar and others took part.