CPI favours law on food security

Favouring a law on food security, CPI today said the Food Security Bill in its present form is "defective and unacceptable" and it needs to be amended drastically after a comprehensive debate.
"We are very much for a legislation which will ensure right to food security. We are not opposed to the idea of having a food security law," CPI National Secretary D Raja told reporters here.
But, the Food Security Bill framed by the UPA government is unacceptable in its existing form as it suffers from several defects and a comprehensive and thorough debate is essential before it is considered for passage in Parliament, Raja said.

"The present bill needs radical changes. It must be amended drastically in order to remove the defects," he said,, adding the government must have the required political will and sincerity to provide people with food security.
Strongly opposing any idea to bring an ordinance on food security, the CPI leader said ordinance is not a proper route and the Congress-led UPA government should refrain from resorting to such method.
"The Centre must not act in an irresponsible manner. It should be ready for a comprehensive and thorough discussion on the matter," he said.

Seeking concrete steps for universalisation of PDS, Raja said CPI was against direct cash transfer.

Dubbing the UPA government as a "big failure" on all fronts, he said CPI would launch a country-wide agitation to be undertaken in three phases from July one to protest soaring inflation, growing unemployment, sliding economic growth, rampant corruption and crime against women.
Claiming that distressed people were looking forward to an alternative capable of pursuing proper economic policies, he said left, democratic, secular and regional political forces would play a key role in next elections.
These non-Congress and non-BJP forces can provide an alternative before the people, he said.
Claiming that the UPA government had lost credibility and moral authority, Raja said the principal opposition BJP, on the other hand, is in complete disarry.