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| Ration dealers call off protests |
| They alleged that dealers sold food grains meant for Public Distribution System were sold in the open market at higher prices.
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| INDIA
, 24-October-2007
5:0:53 AM |
| Ration dealers across West Bengal called off their indefinite agitation after Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya assured them full security against mob fury.
For over a month mobs in Birbhum, Bankura, Murshidabad and Burdwan areas were attacking shops and homes of ration dealers.
They alleged that dealers sold food grains meant for Public Distribution System were sold in the open market at higher prices.
In agitation dealers had shut shop and were surrendering their liscences but the Chief Minister convinced them for a truce on Tuesday.
Paresh Adhikari, WB food minister said, ''It is the state's responsibility to provide them security and protect their property. They can lodge complaints if the situation demands and can even register an FIR.''
The truce comes after ration dealers met Left Front chairman Biman Bose on Monday evening and the Chief Minister on Tuesday.
Ration dealers say there may be some black sheep but the problem lies with corruption in the chain of agents and middlemen between them and the Food Corporation of India which supplies the food grains.
Biswambhar Basu general secretary All Bengal Ration Shop Owners Association said, ''From the FCI godown there are so many middlemen, wholesalers, distributors, there are so many chains. Those who are procuring are the ones diverting. We also divert grains to maintain our livelihood, we are doing this though it is illegal.''
The state government has set up a high level committee to look into the issue. But Mamata Banerjee has called for a CBI probe.
Mamata Banerjee TMC chief said, ''Why this disaster in the ration system, why has the PDS collapsed? Though PDS is under the state's purview, since Centre supplies foodgrains, they can't disown their responsibility. There should be a comprehensive CBI enquiry.''
Meanwhile though the ration dealers have called off their stir they will reopen their ration shops only on Monday.
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