The West Bengal M R Dealers Association and All Bengal Fair Price Shop Dealers Welfare Association (ABFPSDWA) will go for an indefinite sit-in demonstration until their demands are accepted by the state government.

According to Biswambhar Basu, the general secretary of ABFPSDWA, the ration dealers were earlier asked by the government to sell rice at Rs 6, which they purchased at Rs 12 during the festive months. But they are yet to get the refunds.

“We lost crores as we were not refunded for selling rice at 50 per cent half the cost. Until we get refunds, we cannot sell rice at Rs 2, which we purchased for Rs 6,” said Basu.

He also said the commission for the ration dealers was discussed in 2007 in the presence of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

“We are yet to get our commission. We also want transport subsidy. The system of distributing rations is not transparent because at several places, BPL and APL families don’t get rice and sugar for months and at other places, it gets rotten for abundance,” said Basu.

“If non-transparent policies persist, there will be a food riot again and the state government will term it as a ration scam,” added Basu.