Andhra Pradesh: Closure of Rs 5 meal Anna Canteens by Jagan irks Twitteratti and TDP

Vijayawada: The demand to #ReopenAnnaCanteens was doing the rounds on social media platforms on Friday after several tweets with similar hashtags were shared. Along with several TDP leaders like Nara Lokesh, and former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu took to Twitter to demand the reopening of Anna canteens in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered the closure of Anna Canteens effective from August 1 alleging corruption. Several protests were held in the state since then as they were popular for serving proper meals at Rs 5 per serve for workers, labourers and other people.

With the aim to eradicate hunger and malnutrition amongst the poor, in the year 2018 Nara Chandrababu Naidu had launched around 300 Anna canteens, named after the founder of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and former chief minister Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao (NTR).

The former Chief Minister believes that due to the closure of Anna canteens by CM YS Jagan's government, lakhs of people have lost the opportunity to eat a nutritious meal at Rs. 5.

Demanding to reopen Anna canteens in the state, former CM Chandrababu Naidu took to Twitter and said, "Lakhs of people have lost the opportunity to eat a nutritious meal at a paltry Rs. 5 and more than 20,000 employees have lost their livelihood. What wrong did people do to be punished like this? #ReOpenAnnaCanteens"

Official Twitter handle of the Telugu Desam Party(TDP) tweeted, "Anna Canteen is a noble initiative to eradicate hunger and malnutrition amongst the poor. It offered breakfast and meals for a meagre Rs. 5. @ysjagan shut them down purely for political reasons. As a chief minister, he must rise above this and #ReOpenAnnaCanteens"

While sharing a picture of two kids eating the Rs 5 meal at Anna canteens, son of former CM and TDP leader Nara Lokesh questioned CM YS Jagan and tweeted, "@ysjagan What is your answer to these children???" #ReOpenAnnaCanteens "

Apart from TDP leaders and party workers, many others came in support, demanding to reopen Anna canteens in the state.

Sai Bolineni, a twitter user tweeted supporting the online campaign demanding to reopen the anna canteens, "#AnnaCanteen provided about 2.15 lakh meals every day. This was a record and an example of @JaiTDP government’s commitment to the welfare of the poor. #ReOpenAnnaCanteens"

Another twitter user Ratna Prasad Gummadi said, "No poor person will sleep with an empty stomach- a humble program by @ncbn brought to life has been killed now. #ReOpenAnnaCanteens ".

However, the sources believe that the newly formed YSRCP govt will re-launch the scheme with certain modifications and may replace 'Anna' with 'Rajanna' as late former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was fondly called.