BJP to set up roti banks, give 5 crore meals per day to the needy during Covid-19 lockdown

BJP chief J.P. Nadda has instructed workers to link up community kitchens, or provide meals prepared at their homes to daily wage workers and others in need.

BJP president J.P. Nadda | ANI File photo

New Delhi: BJP president J.P. Nadda has instructed every state unit to establish ‘roti banks’ at the booth level and in every Shakti Kendra (a cluster of three to six booths) to feed migrant and daily wage workers during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

BJP’s general secretary (organisation), B.L. Santhosh, has told party units to authenticate community kitchens running in their neighbourhoods, so that it can create network of these kitchens to establish food supply for the needy.

The party has set a target of serving five crore meals every day through community kitchens, and has requested details from party workers to link up such kitchens in every block, which can serve at least 1,000 people per day.

“In a meeting of the general secretaries, the party president has issued instructions to feed migrant workers, construction labourers and daily wage workers whose livelihood is affected due to the lockdown,” a BJP general secretary, who didn’t wish to be named, told ThePrint.

“There was feedback from several quarters that migrant workers are facing difficulties, so it was decided that food will be prepared for them at community kitchens. Where these are not available, the food will be prepared at party workers’ homes and delivered at designated places,” the general secretary added.

“Our target is to serve five crore meals every day, and a list of one crore workers has been sent to the party president already. He will review the situation every night through video conferencing.”

Missi roti bank in Punjab 

Tarun Chugh, a senior BJP leader from Punjab and one of the party’s national secretaries, said in his state, the plan will be altered slightly to serve missi roti (flatbreads made of whole wheat flour, gram flour and spices) to the people.

“In Punjab, generally, people eat missi roti. So, we are providing people missi rotis plus one vegetable. We have collected 70,000 missi rotis in our bank Thursday, and distributed them to the needy,” Chugh told ThePrint.

“We are organising camps in every booth, where every day food will be supplied, while taking precautions about social distancing. It is not necessary for every state to prepare only rotis… One can provide missi roti in Punjab, parantha in Bihar, and rice and dal in Bengal, for example,” he said.