Free food service to poor halted

Raiganj: Annapurna Bhandar, the free mobile food service for the economically-backward which Krishna Kalyani, the TMC candidate of Raiganj Parliamentary constituency, has been running for the past three years was stopped from Saturday by the election officials alleging violation of Model Code of Conduct on the basis of the complaint lodged by the BJP.

Dindayal Kalyani, former chairman of Raiganj Municipality, a social worker and the father of Krishna Kalyani passed away around four years ago. After his demise, Krishna Kalyani in memory of his father introduced the Annapurna Bhandar in 2021. Gopal Barman, a resident of Kaliyaganj, said: “I am a daily wage labourer. We used to come here and get food from Annapurna Bhandar After its service ceases, we will have to suffer a lot.” The service used to provide rice, chapatis, dal and curry. Sanjay Mitra, TMC leader, said: “Annapurna Bhandar used to serve food to more than 2,500 people both in urban and rural belts everyday. BJP leaders lodged a complaint to stop this service to the poor.”

Gautam Biswas, BJP leader of Kaliyaganj, said: “It was a violation of model code of conduct. We registered a complaint to the election officer against it. The service was stopped as it would influence voters.”