BJP says Food Security Ordinance is 'Sonia Gandhi ordinance'

Hours after Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and expressed his apprehensions on the Food Security Bill, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday alleged that the ruling Congress Party is in a hurry and keen to implement the 'Sonia Gandhi ordinance' on Food Security, which is not acceptable.

BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said Mulayam might have given certain suggestions for amendments.

"Food Security Bill has been brought in a hurry. There must be a proper Parliamentary debate. We have also to give a lot of suggestions and amendments. Let it be the property of the Parliament, but the Congress Party in a hurry ,is keen to have the Sonia Gandhi ordinance on Food Security that is not acceptable," he added.

Against the backdrop of Samajwadi Party's opposition to the Food Security ordinance, Mulayam Singh earlier in the day met the Prime Minister and discussed the issue.

According to certain media reports, the Samajwadi Party chief has told the Prime Minister that his party will not support the Food Security Bill unless his amendments are incorporated.

Mulayam, however, after the meeting said that there is no question of withdrawing support to the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre. "It was a regular meeting. There is no question of withdrawing support to the government," he said.

The Samajwadi Party gives outside support to the UPA Government.

President Pranab Mukherjee on July 5 promulgated the National Food Security Ordinance, 2013.

The Food Security programme when implemented will be the biggest in the world with the government spending estimated at one lakh 25 thousand crore rupees annually.

The Food Security Bill was tabled during the Budget Session of Parliament, but could not be taken up for discussion because of opposition-led disruptions of proceedings arising out of scam-related allegations.

The Food Security Bill is aimed at giving legal rights to 67 percent of the population for a uniform quantity of 5 kg food grains at a fixed price of Rs 1-3 per kg through ration shops.