Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi yesterday inaugurated Indira Canteens here for the poor, saying even the “poorest and the weakest in the city cannot go hungry”.
“Many people in Bengaluru live in huge houses, drive rich cars and for them food is not an issue. But millions of people here are construction workers, auto-rickshaw drivers and barbers who do not have enough money. The Indira Canteens will serve these people,” Gandhi said while inaugurating a canteen at Jayanagar ward with an apparent eye on assembly elections due early next year.
“We want the poorest and the weakest in the city to know that they cannot go hungry. Our intention is that the quality of food and hygiene at this canteen is the same as the most expensive restaurant in the city.”
The state government plans to take the canteens to every district in Karnataka to make sure that no person in the state remains hungry, the Congress leader said, committing the faux pas of calling it ‘Amma Canteen,’ which is popular in Tamil Nadu, and was started by late chief minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa.
In the initial phase of the launch, 101 canteens will serve vegetarian breakfast at Rs5 per plate and lunch and dinner at Rs10 each in 101 civic wards.
“Today is a historic day for Karnataka in our fight against hunger and malnutrition with Indira Canteens getting launched across Bengaluru,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.


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