Demonetisation: Delhi govt opens up 'langars' to feed underprivileged

New Delhi: To ease the inconvenience caused to the common man by demonetisation, the AAP-ruled Delhi government on Monday started providing free food to the underprivileged.

The ‘langar’ or the free food distribution centres have been set up at 10 places across Delhi, said a report.

Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, tweeted, “This move has been undertaken to provide the poor with three meals a day and save them from dying of hunger due to demonetisation.”

Ashutosh, journalist and a leader of AAP, lauded the step calling it “humanitarian”.

Some students who live as tenants and face difficulties managing funds have also sought refuge in these langars for meals, since most of home owners refuse to take rent in cheque. With shortage of new notes, the students are left with little to no cash after paying their rents.

The Moti Bagh gurudwara claimed that their langar has been serving many students who stay in paying guest accommodations.

It has been over a month since Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes would no longer be legal tender, but the situation hardly seems to be looking up, with ATMs remaining closed in many places.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been one of the biggest critics of demonetisation, first demanding that it be rolled back, and then claiming that it was the biggest scam since Independence.

The langar centres, which are typically run by gurudwaras have also been set up across several other cities in north India, said the report.