Delhi BJP protests food security scheme

The Delhi unit of the BJP Tuesday protested against the food security programme launched by Congress president Sonia Gandhi at a function here.

Several party workers shouted slogans against the food security programme outside the Talkatora Stadium in central Delhi where the "ambitious" scheme was launched on late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's 69th birth anniversary.

Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel was leading the protest, which police tried to disperse it by using water cannons.

"It was a peaceful protest but by using water cannons against us, the Congress government has proved that they are anti-people and don't deserve to be in power," Goel said.

Another BJP leader, Jagdish Mukhi said the launch was only aimed at securing votes.

"This is not the food security bill but vote security bill. "It is a gimmick ahead of the elections to get votes," said Mukhi.

The protest started from Delhi BJP's headquarters at 14 Pant Marg but was stopped at Talkatora Road near Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital at around 1:15 p.m.

The road which leads to Talkatora stadium had been barricaded with around 200 policemen deployed in riot gear. The police used water cannons on the protestors after they tried to break the barricades.

The Food Security Bill, expected to be a game-changer for the ruling Congress ahead of five assembly polls this year-end and the 2014 general elections, aims to provide subsidised foodgrain at prices much below the market rate to around 67 percent of India's 1.2 billion people, or 800 million people.

The bill will cost the government around Rs.124,723 crore and will entail an additional burden of only Rs.23,800 crore, the Congress has said.