For the past 1.5 years, Dalit Families in Chowdadenahalli village eat raw vegetables, but neither because they find it healthy nor they think it is enough to satisfy their hunger. They are denied ration for the past 1.5 years, only because they have not linked their Aadhaar card with their ration card.
According to a report by The News Minute, 16 Dalit families, including women and children are out to protest against Food and Supplies Department for denying them ration. They say that they will not go home until Food and Supplies Department takes appropriate action.
“We are here because 16 Dalit families in the village are not getting the ration for the last one-and-a-half years. When we asked the Food and Supplies Department about this, they said that we have to link our Aadhaar cards to receive ration,” told Nagesh, one of the protestors to The News Minute.
The protesters say that they have raised the issue with Karnataka Food and Supplies Minister UT Khader and he has promised not to deny ration, but yet to do it. They are now eating spinach, mangoes, and other leafy vegetables to satisfy their hunger. “We are eating spinach leaves and other raw vegetables. We want the Food and Supplies Minister to hear our voice and resolve this issue,” said Shashiraj, an activist from Chintamani in Kolar to The News Minute.
Centre has made it mandatory to link Aadhaar with government schemes to avail the benefits. The last date for linking aadhaar with government schemes is March 31, 2018. Ration card serves as an identity proof and address card akin to other ID proofs such as passport and PAN card. It is used by many households to avail food grains and fuels at a subsidised rate. The government made it mandatory to link aadhaar with ration card when there were instances where one individual obtained more than one ration card.
