Give cards back to the poor or govt offices will be locked: LoP

Bengaluru: The state government should give BPL cards back to the poor. Opposition leader R Ashoka has warned that if the card cancellation process is not stopped, government offices across the state will be locked and protested.

He met the families whose BPL cards were cancelled in Vrishabhavati Nagar and Nandini Layouts of Mahalaxmi Layout assembly constituency with MLAs Dr.Ashwatha Narayana and K Gopalaiah and listened to their problems.

Later, he said that the government, which was supposed to provide food to the people, is working to save money on food. The government should be aware that no one should die of hunger. Those who have lost their BPL cards are not rich and do not travel by car. A woman with a 2-year-old child is unable to go to garment work. A disabled person is selling bajji on the side of the road and is not going to work due to illness. He complained that CM Siddaramaiah has set his sights on the houses of such poor families.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who presented the 14th budget, lacks common sense. Even to ask for a loan from a bank, one has to submit income tax details. Without knowing this, the Congress government has cancelled ration cards without visiting the house. Now 11 lakh cards have been cancelled and another 14 lakh cards will be cancelled. Before this, a notice could have been issued and information could have been obtained. He expressed anger that the blind government said that everyone is paying income tax.

No money for development

The Congress government has no money for development. The money it has is being used for bribery. MLAs are holding the government's neck. Congress MLAs themselves are complaining about not getting funds. If 25 lakh cards are cancelled, Rs 20,000 crore can be generated. That money can be given to the MLAs and appease them. This is the purpose behind the cancellation of the cards, he said. Due to this government move, the poor will not get any schemes. They will not get any subsidy. The BJP demands that ration cards should not be cancelled for any reason. The BJP will fight hard against this. A call will be given for protests across the state. If ration cards are not issued, we will put the officials in a room and lock the office. If the government really has the strength, they should take action against those who sanctioned bogus cards, he demanded.

DCM DK Shivakumar said about the cancellation of the free bus scheme. The free electricity scheme will also be cancelled in the future. The MLAs have gone to a state of rebellion without funds. For this, he said, the Congress, which has taken away the food of the poor, is guaranteed to go to hell.

None of the officials or staff without making a visit to the house have been sitting in the office and deleting off BPL cards. There is information that the department has been given a target to cancel 22 lakh cards. He expressed his anger that the government, which is giving once and taking away again, does not see the tears of the poor.