MPs' behaviour immoral: Amartya Sen

 

While Parliament on Monday witnessed pandemonium when the food Bill was taken up for consideration, Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen termed the behaviour of Members of Parliament (MPs) “immoral”. He said he preferred the Bill in the present form over any proposed amendments and even an ordinance over the legislation if the Bill is not allowed to be debated.

The delay may be because of various reasons, but it is at the cost of the lives of millions of poor people, Sen said, adding it is the moral bankruptcy of the government and Opposition not to be able to debate it.

Speaking to reporters, along with civil society members  Jean Dreze, Nikhil Dey, Ritika Khera and Kavita Srivastava, among others, Sen said: “I would prefer discussions to happen, and necessary amendments to be carried out in the food Bill. But if that is not possible in the present situation, at least the Bill should be passed.” He said he did not even mind an Ordinance, but a Bill was any day better.

Sen defended Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as an economist, when asked what he thought about him.

Referring to the economic growth of Asian countries, he said these countries also invested in human development . None of these countries thought that spending money on health care would harm economic growth, he said, referring to Japan, China, Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong. Asked about  Manmohan Singh as an economist Sen said that the Food Bill was evidence that the Prime Minister also considered economic and human growth complimentary.

About half the population both above poverty line and below poverty line are to be entitled to food subsidy, and is to cost the Government about Rs 27,000 crore above the cost of the existing Public Distribution System.

Dreze said, "I feel that the Bill should be passed now, even if it means extending the session by a few hours or a day. It cannot be put off."

Right to Food activist Kavita Srivastava said that the movement wanted the Bill with amendments proposed by various parties. "We don’t agree with Sen that a Bill without the amendments would be acceptable," she said.

The amendments to the Bill have already been tabled in Parliament last week, but they could not be passed as the Parliament could not function most of the week thanks to Opposition protests over coal scam and later over the death of Sarabjit Singh in a Pakistan jail.

Left parties have demanded inclusion of pulses and oil in the list of subsidised items offered under the PDS. They have also asked for increasing the quantity of food grains from five kilos to seven kilos per adult, besides extending the subsidy to the entire population.