Mangaluru: Congress leaders and workers staged a protest in front of Mini Vidhana Soudha, holding rice plates to condemn the Central government's refusal to provide rice for Karnataka's Anna Bhagya scheme. 

The demonstrators alleged that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had initially agreed to supply additional rice for the state's flagship program, which aims to provide 10 kg of free rice to BPL cardholders.

 However, under pressure from the central government, the FCI backed down from its commitment, according to the Congress workers.

Ramanath Rai, former minister and KPCC vice president, condemn the Centre for denying rice to the needy. He emphasized that it was the Congress government in the state from 2013 to 2018 that had launched the Anna Bhagya program, initially providing 7 kg of rice free of cost to BPL cardholders. Rai alleged that the BJP-led Centre is actively undermining the welfare scheme implemented by the Congress.

The protest serves as a resolute message from the Congress party, expressing their concern for the welfare of the poor and criticizing the Centre's interference in the state's distribution of rice through the public distribution system.