New Delhi:
The UPA government promised food security in its election manifesto and spoke of the aam aadmi. Now those hit hardest by hunger are demanding that the government keeps its promise.
More than 6000 people most of them villagers from 20 states rallied to Parliament demanding comprehensive entitlements that would ensure no one sleeps hungry.
"When you see so many people who are poor and have come all the way, it makes you wonder what their desperation is," said Nitin Pawar, 12th grade student.
A 12th grader passing by, pauses to think of a movement that aims to address the most fundamentals of life - hunger.
"Hunger hits us hard. We've come for our most basic right," said a woman protester.
It's a wide canvas that includes strengthening existing schemes but also implementing new legislation primarily a Food Entitlement Act.
Another critical demand that categories like the BPL or Below Poverty Line be abolished in rural areas and the Public Distribution System (PDS) provide for every person.
The demand to universalize PDS seems radical at the outset but there seems to be urgent logic in it.
"BPL card is meaningless. The rich get them made and they corner all the rations. We never manage to get any," said another protester.
Take a look at these statistics which again point to the dubiousness of BPL categories.
In Tamil Nadu where PDS is universal, for everyone only 3 per cent of those holding BPL cards are not able to get their rations from the PDS.
But ironically in Bihar which has rations for BPL category, 95 per cent of BPL families are not able to access PDS a travesty as it means that those who need it most do not get any rations.
Six thousand people from 18 states outside Parliament hoping that those inside will find it hard to dismiss them.
More than 6000 people most of them villagers from 20 states rallied to Parliament demanding comprehensive entitlements that would ensure no one sleeps hungry.
"When you see so many people who are poor and have come all the way, it makes you wonder what their desperation is," said Nitin Pawar, 12th grade student.
A 12th grader passing by, pauses to think of a movement that aims to address the most fundamentals of life - hunger.
"Hunger hits us hard. We've come for our most basic right," said a woman protester.
It's a wide canvas that includes strengthening existing schemes but also implementing new legislation primarily a Food Entitlement Act.
Another critical demand that categories like the BPL or Below Poverty Line be abolished in rural areas and the Public Distribution System (PDS) provide for every person.
The demand to universalize PDS seems radical at the outset but there seems to be urgent logic in it.
"BPL card is meaningless. The rich get them made and they corner all the rations. We never manage to get any," said another protester.
Take a look at these statistics which again point to the dubiousness of BPL categories.
In Tamil Nadu where PDS is universal, for everyone only 3 per cent of those holding BPL cards are not able to get their rations from the PDS.
But ironically in Bihar which has rations for BPL category, 95 per cent of BPL families are not able to access PDS a travesty as it means that those who need it most do not get any rations.
Six thousand people from 18 states outside Parliament hoping that those inside will find it hard to dismiss them.
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