CPIM protest in Jammu against price rise

Regional Committee, Jammu of Communist Party of Indian (Marxist) observed protest demonstration at Green Belt Park, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu on the call of left parties including CPI(M) to demand a universal public distribution system to ensure food security for all citizens. A large number of party activists from different sectors participated in this protest. All the activists holding red flags and placards in their hands raised slogans against the policies of the government. The rally started from Green Belt Park and after passing through the Panama Chowk and culminated at Divisional Commissioner office and handed over the memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner.

Speaking on the occasion Comrade Sham Prasad Kesar, Regional Secretary of CPI (M) said that this demonstration is the culmination of the month-long joint campaign on the issue of food security and price rise conducted by the Left parties throughout the country. Kesar demanded to concede the following demands immediately that is No BPL or APL, we demand a universal public distribution system, give 35 kg of food grains at a maximum rate of two rupees a kilo per family, distribute the huge eight crore food grain stocks by increasing allocations immediately, scrap the Planning Commission’s highly dubious poverty estimates. Do not use them as basis for allocations for welfare rights, Implement the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations for a fair procurement price and profit margin for formers.

According to the United Nation’s Global Hunger Index, India ranks 67 amongst the 80 countries in the world which suffer from acute hunger of its people. Twenty five percent of the world’s hungry are (shameful to admit) today Indians. According to this Index, India ranks even below counties like North Korea and civil war ridden and now divided Sudan.
Kesar further demanded uninterrupted power supply and check on rampant corruption.

While addressing the gathering senior leaders of party like Om Parkash, State General Secretary CITU, Kishore Kumar, Sohan Lal, Dharm Singh, Bishan Dass, V. K. Vaid said that with the introduction of the neo-liberal economic reforms, the universal public distribution system through ration cards was abandoned in 1997, this system allowed 21 million tonnes of foodgrains, i.e., 45 per cent of the available food stock in 1991 to be distributed through the ration shops. By 2001, such distribution reduced to a mere 13 million. The draft food Security bill perpetuates the targeting of people into priority (BPL) and general (APL). This will automatically exclude 54 per cent of the families in rural areas and 72 per cent in the urban areas. The below-poverty-line (BPL) cardholders will have to pay Rs three per kg of rice when eight states are providing rice at Re one or two per kg for those in the BPL list. Other addressing the gathering were Babu Ram, Ganesh Dass Bawa Ram, Sunita, Kanta , H.D.Bhomick , Kulbir Singh.