Mysuru: Condemning the State Government’s move to cancel the BPL cards under the pretext of verifying eligibility, Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly R. Ashoka has demanded the State Government to immediately restore the cancelled BPL cards before the next Assembly session.

He also warned to launch a massive protest, including laying a seige on Government offices and the Vidhana Soudha on State Government failing to comply with their demand.

Ashoka accused CM Siddaramaiah, who touts the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme, of betraying the poor. He claimed that the cancellation of BPL cards had deprived lakhs of families their right to food.

“An elderly woman, who had a BPL card for the past 45 years, was suddenly declared ineligible. The State Government is contemplating the cancellation of 12 lakh BPL cards, citing ineligibility,” said Ashoka. He added that if the affected people are forced to reapply for BPL cards, they will have to spend Rs. 10,000, a sum unaffordable for the poor. “The Government must restore the BPL cards on its own, rather than burdening the poor,” he added. 

He pointed out that the BPL cards of vulnerable groups such as street vendors and temple flower sellers had been cancelled, further intensifying the hardship faced by these communities.