Opposing the Congress’ design to pass the Food Security Bill during the din, the CPI(M) on Tuesday said the Bill should be properly debated in the Parliament.
“Even Pawar is on record to say that this crucial piece of legislation should be passed after a thorough discussion. We are also of the same opinion and have moved Amendments to universalise food security for the entire population,” Yechury told reporters here.
“We strongly refute this charge (of disruption). While we will not be a party to create obstacles to provide food security, the Government too should create conditions to end disruption in the House. There has been no such efforts so far,” Yechury said, while addressing media here.
Basudeb Acharia, the CPI(M) leader in lok Sabha, also said all parties had agreed in a meeting of Parliament’s Business Advisory Committee that the legislation should not be passed without a thorough debate.
“Government should not push it. Rather it should take initiative to end the logjam which has continued for long, but there is no effort from the Government side to end the stalemate and brining the House to order.
“The only effort to resolve the situation was by Speaker Meira Kumar. Neither the Prime Minister, nor the Parliamentary Affairs Minister have taken any step in this direction ... Who will create conditions for having a debate on the Food Security Bill,” Acharia said.
Attacking the Government for delaying the Food Bill, Yechury said the issue was “the first item on the UPA-II’s 100 days agenda. It figured prominently in the speech of the President when the UPA-II Government took over.”
“But this is the last year of this Government and they are bringing it only now, at the fag-end of the Budget Session. We have been asking the Government why it has not fulfilled the promise made in the first Presidential Address to a joint sitting of Parliament.”