IN a major victory for the people of Puducherry, the state government has finally agreed to reopen all ration shops across the union territory after a prolonged struggle led by the CPI(M) against the closure of these essential outlets. The decision comes after years of protests, with the state government announcing on October 21 that the shops will be operational before Diwali, providing 10 kg of rice and 2 kg of sugar to all ration card holders.

Puducherry, a union territory with a population of 1.6 million, saw its 515 ration shops shut down in 2016 under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme, which was introduced by the then lieutenant governor, Kiran Bedi. The closure that was imposed on the pretext of poor-quality rice being distributed, left thousands of poor families struggling for food and rendered numerous ration shop employees jobless. The CPI(M) described this move as an anti-people policy that worsened the situation for those living below the poverty line.

India, already facing high levels of poverty and hunger, ranks 111th out of 125 countries on the Global Hunger Index. The closure of ration shops in Puducherry exacerbated the people's suffering, particularly among red ration card holders who make up 50 per cent of the state’s population. Meanwhile, the NR Congress-BJP coalition government in the state is focusing on opening liquor bars instead of addressing the people’s concerns over food security.

In response to these dire circumstances, the CPI(M) state unit launched a series of protests to pressure the government into reversing the closure of the ration shops. These efforts included:

1. A large demonstration in front of the head post office on November 21, 2019.
2. A rally and protest on March 5, 2020.
3. Statewide demonstrations at six subcommittee centres on July 9, 2020.
4. A human chain protest on December 29, 2020, with over 1,500 participants.
5. A signature campaign in July 2022, collecting 50,000 signatures in support of reopening the shops.
6. A massive rally on Nehru Street, culminating in a picketing that blocked traffic.
7. A five-day statewide campaign in September 2022, in the form of a jatha and public speeches.
8. Another rally in early 2023 to submit the signature campaign records to the chief minister.
9. A long drawn dharna in front of the Civil Supply Office in February 2024.
10. An open-air convention on July 18, 2024, despite heavy rain.

These persistent efforts by the CPI(M) brought to the fore the hardships caused by the closure. As a result, the BJP-NR Congress alliance faced heavy losses in the recent parliamentary elections, with their candidate, Namachivayam, defeated in 28 of the 30 assembly constituencies in Puducherry.

Acknowledging the backlash, the Puducherry government finally relented, announcing the reopening of all ration shops. In a statement at the victory celebration on October 21,                     G Ramakrishnan, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member who was a guiding force in this struggle,  hailed the success of the struggle but emphasized that the fight is not yet over. He called for the ration shop facilities to be extended to the Mahe and Yanam regions, warning that the protests would continue until this demand is met.

The reopening of the ration shops is a significant win for the people of Puducherry, marking the victory of a long struggle for food security and justice.

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