People's Democracy

FOOD SECURITY BILL

Left Parties Hold

Convention in Hyderabad

WHEN one scrutinises closely the proposed food security bill being brought by UPA government, it is evident that it will actually rob the poor of their two square meals a day. If this bill is passed as it is without amendments, the common people and the poor will be hit very hard, felt the leaders of the four Left parties at a state-level convention organized on the issue of food security in Hyderabad on July 27.

The poor are getting at least some sort of relief with the distribution of rice, kerosene, sugar etc through the present Public Distribution System. If there is cash transfer system as proposed in the Bill, then even this minimum relief would vanish, they apprehended. They also felt that if the cash transfer system is implemented, along with the common people even the farmers would be hit. The Left leaders demanded that this Bill must be adopted only after there is thorough discussion in parliament and necessary amendments are made. Otherwise there would be widespread agitations against the Bill, they warned.

The convention was presided over by RSP state secretary S Janakiramulu and addressed by CPI(M) state secretary B V Raghavulu, CPI state secretary K Narayana and Forward Block convenor B Surender Reddy among others.

Raghavulu in his speech lambasted the central government for its propaganda that this Bill would ensure food security for the poor of the country. On the contrary, if the present Bill gets enacted, the prices of essential commodities distributed through PDS would shoot up, he felt. The proposal of cash transfer is very dangerous. He criticized the TDP also for not opposing the cash transfer scheme and instead trying to claim credit for the proposal. Even Lok Satta party was wrongly feeling that this proposal would help check the corruption in PDS. Raghavulu demanded that YSR Congress, TRS and BJP must also make their stand clear on this dangerous proposal. He said those who support the cash transfer scheme will be perceived as anti-poor by the people.

Addressing the convention, Narayana criticized the Manmohan Singh government for not getting the Bill discussed thoroughly in parliament even while showing utmost urgency in passing bills dictated by the interests of foreign investors, IMF or World Bank. He said the affinity shown by the government for allowing FDI in retail sector or for the disinvestment in profitable public sector units is clearly lacking when it comes to providing food security to the poor. He termed it unfortunate that despite the Supreme Court castigating the central government for the rotting of millions of tonnes of foodgrains in godowns, it has done nothing. Narayana charged the government of conspiring to remove the rations cards from the poor at a time when the poor view the ration card as their dear property, based on which they can avail so many other schemes. He demanded enactment of a comprehensive food security bill by making necessary amendments to the present Bill.

(INN)