Modi questions intent behind Centre’s urgency to push through Food Security Bill

Gandhinagar, 13 June 2013

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today questioned the intent behind the Congress-led UPA Government’s urgency to rush through the Food Security Bill, at the fag end of its second five-year term.

Taking a strong exception to the Congress party’s undue haste, he ridiculed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in power since 2004 suddenly waking up to realization on the eve of General Elections that he has done nothing for the poor all these nine years.

Mr. Modi said the desperation is nothing but a move, timed to improve its winning chances at the hustings, to befool the public. It reflects the Centre’s mala fide intention to shift the people’s attention from the former’s all round failure to tackle burning issues like skyrocketing inflation.

Mr. Modi recalled that when Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee vacated the office the poor used to get food. Moreover, most of the states have already in place some sort of food security Acts for the poor. Gujarat has also ensured ‘food security’ for the poor for the last ten years, selling wheat at Rs.2 per kg and rice at Rs.3 per kg through the Public Distribution System (PDS). Doesn’t it amount to food security, he asked.