UP Cong to protest against non-implementation of food scheme

As a part of its protests against the non-implementation of food security scheme by the Uttar Pradesh government, the Congress would put a lock on the gates of the Varanasi district magistrate's office on December 26.
"We will put a lock on the gates of the District Magistrate's office to mark our protest against the state government for not implementing food security scheme in UP. Our protest is also against problems relating to law and order and electricity among others," state Congress chief Nirmal Khatri told reporters here.
"There have been more than 200 riots in the state during the Samajwadi party government and it is a record. The government and its machinery have helplessly watched riot victims' houses being burnt and looted," he said.

To a question, he said the Congress is lodging its protest to make the Samajwadi Party government, which has not spent even one third of the grant under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), aware about the problems faced by the people.
"The Chief Secretary of UP says that the food security scheme will be implemented after July 2014," Khatri said, charging that the government had been deliberately delaying the implementation fearing that it would benefit the Congress.
"Through our massive protest from Varanasi, we will send a message to the whole state that an ineffective government, which has no right to remain in power, is at the helm, and it must be ousted from power," said Khatri.

Senior leaders and party workers of eastern region of the state would assemble at the Cutting Memorial ground, and from there they will march towards the district magistrate's office, he said.
According to party sources, permission to organise protest on December 26 and 27 at the Collectorate office has been denied by the District Magistrate on grounds of dug up roads near the office. Later the venue was shifted to Cutting Memorial School ground.