UPA's claim to provide rice at old price an eyewash: Jaya

Rubbishing DMK chief Karunanidhi's claim that Tamil Nadu would continue to get rice for APL category people at Rs 8.30, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today alleged UPA's idea was to provide rice at old price "for a few months for an eyewash" and then change it.

"The Centre's idea to provide rice at Rs 8.30 for a few months for an eyewash and then change it," she alleged.

Referring to Karunanidhi's statement that Union Food Minister K V Thomas had assured that Tamil Nadu would be supplied rice for APL category at Rs 8.30, she said it was not acceptable as the assurance was not part of the law.

"The Centre can change anything that is not part of a law at its own will whenever it wants. "Is not Karunanidhi, a five time Chief Minister aware that only a provision which is part of a law cannot be amended without the concurrence of the Parliament?" she asked.

The Union government does not want to continue to provide APL rice at the old price of Rs 8.30, she alleged.

Citing Union Minister Thomas' stance that the price for APL consumers was not brought within the law's ambit as it was linked to Minimum Support Price (MSP), she said this gave one an idea of the Union government's thought process.

The UPA's much touted Food Bill initiative was disadvantageous and something that would cause loss to Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa said.