Mangaluru: The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Wednesday arranged a mock Indira Canteen here in furtherance of its demand for similar canteens in all important cities and towns in the State, including Mangaluru.

DYFI leaders Sunil Kumar Bajal, B.K. Imtiyaz and others participated in the event, where food was offered to participating protesters at the end. The federation said that it was the one which had suggested opening the canteens by the government across the State to provide cheap food to the common man.

It is a good move to open Indira Canteens in Bengaluru. But why exclude other cities, particularly a city like Mangaluru where the cost of living is quite high, questioned the federation. According to DYFI State president Muneer Katipalla, the Dakshina Kannada unit of the federation was the first to raise the issue of making available affordable food to the poor in the State. It had also sought regulation of food prices in hotels.

The federation had been fighting over this issue for the last five years demanding affordable government canteens in all important cities and towns across the State, he said.

Mr. Katipalla said that Mangaluru is known to be an expensive place to live in. The common man is unable to afford food in hotels and eateries because of high prices.