Seeking an inquiry into a project for the distribution of dry rations and cooked food, taken up by the Labour Department in Bengaluru, Leader of the Opposition in Assembly Siddaramaiah on Sunday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was using the scheme for political gains, and that the project lacked transparency.
He urged Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to release the list of beneficiaries who have taken the dry rations and the food.
BJP councillors have been taking the food from kitchens and distributing it randomly, he alleged, adding that the money came from Construction Workers’ Welfare Board.
Similarly, he claimed that BJP leaders were affixing their names and photographs on dry ration hampers and distributing it among their electorates.
“Construction works and workers in unorganised sectors who are genuine beneficiaries are being denied dry rations and prepared food,” he said.
The former Chief Minister also claimed that BJP leaders brought pressure on the Chief Minister and transferred the project from the Labour Department to the BBMP. “For the past two days, 2 lakh food packets have been distributed from kitchens and 1 lakh dry hampers have been distributed. Nobody has details as to who received them. There are allegations that the religion of the beneficiary is being asked before the food packets are distributed,” he alleged.
He further alleged out that of the 30 lakh construction workers in the State, including 15 lakh workers registered in Bengaluru, and nearly 1 crore workers in the unorganised sector are not getting relief from the government.
