Uproar in Assy over PDS corruption, Opposition walks out

Kolkata, Dec 11 (UNI) The entire Opposition today walked out of the West Bengal Assembly protesting the Speaker's refusal to allow discussion on the issue of corruption in Public Distribution system.

Though Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim gave permission for reading out two adjournment motions on the issue tabled by the Congress and the Trinamool Congress separately, it did not satisfy the Opposition members who staged a noisy walkout.

Raising slogans they also demanded a statement from Food Minister Paresh Adhikary to inform the House about the ''food crisis'' in the state.

Tabling the adjournment motion on behalf of her party, Sonali Guha (Trinamool Congress) said rampant corruption took place in the ration shops in the villages resulting in violence claiming one life and suicides of three ration dealers.

Ms Guha also urged the state government to set up a commission to probe the matter.

Later, supporting the adjournment motion of Ajoy Dey (Congress), Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Manas Bhuniya alleged that the state government had failed to distribute rice and wheat allocated by the Centre under Antodyaya and Annapurna yojanas which created a famine like situation in the villages.

''It is a matter of shame that while the villagers were deprived of their rice and wheat quota from the ration shops, condoms were on sale under the Public Distribution system,'' Mr Bhuniya maintained.

UNI