By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Activists of Movement for Peace and Justice (MPJ) and Ann Adhikar Abhiyan protested outside the Food Corporation of India godown situated in Reay Road, Mumbai on Monday and were demanding to implement the Supreme Court decision of distributing 35 Kg rotting grain to the poor families which are living below poverty line, BPL.
Men and women were holding play cards and were in an agitating mood. They were shouting the slogan; “Godamon ke Taale kholo- Anaj garibon ko Muft baanto” open the door of Godown and distribute grains to the poor.”
Rashid Azim, Presidnt of MPJ, Mumbai, agitated and condemned the behavior of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. He said, “Comment of a senior leader, Sharad Pawar, on Supreme Court decision was misleading to the nation and UPA government must take immediate steps to implement the decision and feed the poor at the earliest.”
He also observed that Maharashtra government has given license to 36 factories which makes wine from the rotted grain and this could be the reason why state government is not implementing the decision.
Supreme Court on, Aug 31, ordered Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar to distribute the rotten grain among the poor for free which he misunderstood as an observation or suggestions. Later on the apex court reminded him that it’s an order and then the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGOM) on food was formed and they discussed how to implement the decision of the Supreme Court.
Siraj Ahmed, President of MPJ Maharashtra said government has the storage capacity for 400 lacs tons whereas nearly 300 lacs tons are rotted and wasted every year so Government must built grain storage houses. He also demanded, “Food inflation is mounting and therefore we demand that grain should also be distributed to the people who are above poverty line.”
Anees Ahmed, Secretary of MPJ observed that our government is spending thousands of Crore on Common wealth game but don’t have the money to built storage houses.