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Jan Morcha memo to check ration cards `scam' in U.P.

Special Correspondent

"A primary reason for starvation deaths"

LUCKNOW: The five major constituents of Jan Morcha Alliance - CPI, CPI (M-L), Nationalist Congress Party, Indian Justice Party and People's Democratic Front (PDF) -- have urged the Uttar Pradesh Governor, T. V. Rajeswar, to take steps for curbing large-scale bungling in distribution of Below Poverty Line ration cards.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, they drew his attention to the spate of hunger and starvation deaths in the state and said that the non-distribution of BPL ration cards was one of the primary reasons for starvation deaths and farmers' suicide, particularly in the Bundelkhand region.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, CPI (M-L) State Secretary Akhilendra Pratap Singh said the twin tragedies could have been averted if the Mulayam Singh Yadav government had been alive to the magnitude of the problem. Mr Singh said Vidharba loomed large over the state, yet the Government had no time to pay attention to the plight of the poverty-stricken farmers.

Mr. Singh accused the State Government of a sham being undertaken in the name of drought relief works. He said cheques for Rs. 3, Rs. 10 and Rs. 25 had been distributed to farmers living in the drought-affected region. "The Government has let loose a reign of terror on political workers opposing the repressive polices with the police becoming a willing ally in the game of political vendetta."

Referring to the recent communal violence at Masauli in Barabanki district, Mr. Singh accused the Mulayam Government of communal polarisation in the Avadh region of UP. Stating that a sense of insecurity had gripped the Muslims, he said the violence in Masauli raised the frightening prospect of Gujarat and Maharashtra-type communal strife being enacted in UP.

PDF general secretary Nehaluddin, who was also present at the press conference, said that half a dozen persons belonging to a particular community were killed in Masauli rioting and alleged that the violence was instigated by a ruling party MP and a State Minister. He said the Barabanki district administration had acted in a partisan manner.

Mr. Nehaluddin demanded a judicial inquiry into the Masauli violence.

The state unit president of NCP, Ramesh Dixit, slammed the State Government for "loot of government property". He demanded that the Uttar Pradesh Development Council be disbanded as it served the business interests of the capitalist class.

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Jan Morcha memo to check ration cards `scam' in U.P.

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