Would like to see food, land bills passed quickly: Khurshid

The government today said it would like to see the food security and land acquisition bills getting passed quickly and hoped the Opposition accommodates "legitimate democratic duty as well as entitlement".
Noting that the UPA II is in the last year of its rule, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said, "Obviously the emphasis now, certainly all political parties have, is to look ahead one year and how we are able to build up our campaign."
He said there are are two elements to this.
"One is, we have to quickly wrap up the work that we still have to do as far as the government is concerned... Food security bill, land acquisition bill, there are many other legislations that are pending which relate to good governance, transparency.

"We would like to see those bills go through quickly so that there is some time for people to see how they work on the ground," Khurshid told reporters here during a joint press conference with his visiting Argentine counterpart Hector Timerman.
"We hope that the Opposition will at least accommodate what is a legitimate democratic duty as well as as entitlement," he said.

Replying to a question about today's Cabinet reshuffle, he said there "had been some vacancies and the political side, meaning the party side had to be strengthened".
He said the Congress leadership decided that some of those in the government would be pulled out and put into the party.

He added that many in the government had "periodically suggested" they were available for party work.
"But obviously, leadership decides who will fit into the best given the team that they are creating.
"We will all contribute from where we are but there are people who will have to work 24x7 only in the party. I think that is what is being done."
He said the government too had got some experienced people.
He added everyone together "will give an effective impetus for a successful final year of our government".