Now, Modi writes to PM opposing food security bill
14 Aug 2013 12:00 AM GMT
Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s reservation over the food security bill has put the BJP in dilemma. BJP leaders say after Modi’s letter to the Prime Minister on Monday, the party leadership is now contemplating what stand to take in Parliament over the bill.
‘We are discussing the pros and cons of the situation now, as the party does not want to be seen going against its prime ministerial candidate nor does it want to take an anti-people stand,’ said a senior BJP leader requesting anonymity. The BJP leader added one has to tread cautiously on the matter, as it could be one of the major electoral issues in the next general elections.
Critical of the Centre’s national food security bill, Modi on Tuesday said that he wrote to the Prime Minister because the poor will not benefit from it. ‘In the name of food security the government is snatching food from the poor. BPL families will be burdened by this bill. They used to get 35kgs grain, now they will get 25kgs for a family of five. A poor family is going to be burdened with extra expenditure of Rs 1000,’ said Modi.
The Gujarat chief minister claimed the government was imposing the bill on state governments without taking any responsibility for the success of the scheme. ‘I am surprised at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for saying that it’s the state’s responsibility to get grain during drought, failed crop,’ said Modi. He added that smaller states lack adequate resources to provide food grains to the poor if such an eventuality was to happen.
Modi in his objections to the Prime Minister had said that the state governments are not being given a say in determining the eligibility criteria.
While Modi has expressed his reservations to the food security bill, the BJP has expressed its support for it. ‘The BJP will not oppose the bill in Parliament. We will support it,’ BJP president Rajnath Singh had said recently.
‘We are discussing the pros and cons of the situation now, as the party does not want to be seen going against its prime ministerial candidate nor does it want to take an anti-people stand,’ said a senior BJP leader requesting anonymity. The BJP leader added one has to tread cautiously on the matter, as it could be one of the major electoral issues in the next general elections.
Critical of the Centre’s national food security bill, Modi on Tuesday said that he wrote to the Prime Minister because the poor will not benefit from it. ‘In the name of food security the government is snatching food from the poor. BPL families will be burdened by this bill. They used to get 35kgs grain, now they will get 25kgs for a family of five. A poor family is going to be burdened with extra expenditure of Rs 1000,’ said Modi.
The Gujarat chief minister claimed the government was imposing the bill on state governments without taking any responsibility for the success of the scheme. ‘I am surprised at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for saying that it’s the state’s responsibility to get grain during drought, failed crop,’ said Modi. He added that smaller states lack adequate resources to provide food grains to the poor if such an eventuality was to happen.
Modi in his objections to the Prime Minister had said that the state governments are not being given a say in determining the eligibility criteria.
While Modi has expressed his reservations to the food security bill, the BJP has expressed its support for it. ‘The BJP will not oppose the bill in Parliament. We will support it,’ BJP president Rajnath Singh had said recently.
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