New Delhi: The CPI(M) on Thursday opposed the government`s move to bring in an ordinance on food security, accusing it of failing to bring a proper law for nearly four years and rushing it now in "contempt" of Parliament.
While it had wanted the Centre to "give utmost priority" to food security, the CPI(M) Politburo said the Union Government "failed to bring in a proper legislation for nearly four years for the consideration of Parliament, and now an ordinance is being promulgated.
"The ordinance route shows contempt for Parliament and is anti-democratic."
In a statement, the party expressed strong disagreement with the government over the "insincere manner in which the food security legislation is being handled."
Maintaining that the law promulgated by ordinance does not provide for a Universal Public Distribution System and there were other "defects", the CPI(M) said it would raise these objections and push for amendments to the Bill when it comes up in Parliament.
"This is a totally unnecessary step. The government has shown contempt for Parliament where such a major legislation should have been discussed and adopted," CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat had earlier said, adding that the present legislation had serious flaws.
His comments came as the Union Cabinet decided to promulgate an ordinance to give the nation`s two-third population the right to five kgs of foodgrain every month at highly subsidised rates of Rs 1-3 per kg.
CPI national secretary D Raja also opposed the move, saying the government should have "advanced the Monsoon Session of Parliament if it was keen and honest to get the Food Security Bill passed."
Maintaining that the current legislation was "not acceptable", he said the measure needed to be "drastically amended and thoroughly debated. Congress cannot hoodwink the people by issuing this ordinance. The people are mature enough to see through the tricks played by the UPA-II government."
PTI
