Faced with all-round opposition, including from its own ally NCP, the Government on Tuesday deferred bringing an Ordinance on Food Security Bill in the Cabinet meeting for the time being. But it reiterated that all options — including Ordinance — are open.
With the Opposition accusing of doing politics over the Food Security Bill, the Government on Tuesday retaliated saying it was unfortunate that those who did not allow the pro-poor legislation passed in the last Parliament Session are talking of politics.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram admitted that there were some speculations that an Ordinance will be brought on the issue in the Cabinet, but no decision was taken.
Asked about leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj’s tweet that the Government should desist from bringing Ordinance on the issue and all other political parties also opposing it, he said that politics on Food Security Bill had happened when it was not allowed to be passed in the last Session of Parliament. These indignant voices should have been raised then.
Voicing similar sentiments, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari asked, “Where were they when the Bill was not allowed to be passedIJ Why did they not allow the Bill to be passedIJ”
He said that all options including Ordinance route are open but parried questions about whether it will be brought in the next Cabinet meeting, saying that one cannot predict it. Since an all-party meeting is likely to happen on June 10, the Government may elicit the views of all political parties on passing the legislation either by holding a Special Session or by preponing the Monsoon Session.