DEMANDING JUSTICE: Women waiting outside the office of the Deputy Commissioner seeking justice with regard to ration card distribution, in Bijapur on Thursday.

BIJAPUR: Slum dwellers, mostly women, took out a protest march here on Thursday, demanding Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards.

The protesters under the banner of Duduyuva Janara Horata Samiti, took out a procession to the Deputy Commissioner's office where they staged a silent demonstration.

Addressing the protesters, samiti president Mannusab Kaladagi and CITU leader V.M. Sonnad alleged that the Government had not set right the anomalies in distribution of ration cards even after a year.

When survey was taken up, all old cards were collected from people but many had not got new cards. In many cases, above poverty line families had managed to get cards meant for BPL families, they alleged.

The Government had committed a major mistake by entrusting the survey work to private agencies.

If it was conducted through Revenue and Education departments, there would not have been any confusion, they said.

Enough foodgrains and kerosene were not being given to those having temporary cards as there were no clear guidelines. The Government should look into the issue, they said.

The protesters handed over to a district official a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

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