"This is a vote security bill not Food Security bill...," BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said during debate on the legislation in the Lok Sabha.
Joshi said he was in favour of the bill but the measure brought by the government has flaws. "The flaws should be rectified," he said.
The former Union Minister raised concern over various aspects, including providing adequate food, to people.
"In 2009, the then President of India in his Address had talked about Food Security Bill. But you have brought this bill when you are going out...," Joshi said.
"What is adequate food? Is it going to be based on purchasing power, calorific value or nutrition?... You mention eligible households, why this 'tamasha' (drama). What if it is only single person. You (the government) should clarify whether one person will be classified as household," he said.
Besides, he questioned where the funds would come from for implementation of the bill.
Emphasising that the bill should have the objective of providing universal food security, Joshi said so much noise should not be made that the country is providing food security for everyone.
About 60 per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture but small farmers are committing suicide. In the last 15 years, more than three lakh farmers have committed suicide, he claimed.
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