New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Accusing the BJP-led central government of "killing the purpose and intent" of the National Food Security Act, 2013, the Congress Saturday said it was a "crude attempt to make a mockery of the crores of toiling poor of India by the BJP".
The Congress also criticised it for giving cash to the poor instead of subsidised food grains.
Addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the BJP government had become anti-farmer and anti-poor.
"The BJP government is preparing to kill the purpose and intent as also soul and spirit of the Food Security Act by reducing the number of eligible beneficiaries from 67 to 40 percent," he said.
The Congress leader held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for it saying that nobody could have done it without his permission.
"This recommendation (of reducing number of eligible beneficiaries) was made by a committee constituted to examine the Food Security Act by Modi," he said.
He criticised the government for making an "anti-farmer" amendment to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 by way of an ordinance.
"It exposes the anti-poor and farmer face of the ruling dispensation," Surjewala added.
The Congress leader also questioned the BJP whether its "intent and motive behind supporting the Food Security Act, 2013 in parliament was to subsequently kill its soul and spirit on formation of the BJP government".
He said that when the Shanta Kumar committee, set up to examine the Food Security Act and to reconstitute the Food Corporation of India (FDI), has proposed direct cash transfer of food subsidy even to the remaining 40 percent beneficiaries instead of providing food grains over the next three years, how the poor would buy food grains at the prevailing market prices with the small amount of subsidy.
The Congress leader also wondered that when all this was being done whether the government would also stop procuring wheat, paddy and other crops at the Minimum Support Price to maintain its existing well defined food stocks after the commencement of the direct cash transfer policy.
"It's all inter-linked, the government must explain to the nation what its plans were," he said.
Ask CBI to probe Karnataka IAS officer's death
Agartala, March 21 (IANS) The IAS association's Tripura branch on Saturday demanded a CBI probe
Mamata Relaxes Refusal fine for taxis
Kolkata, Feb 12 (IANS) Conceding the demand of taxi drivers, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata
The election chariot of 'Amar Ujala' reached the 150-year-old Saraiman Singh Colony in Aligarh. H
West Bengal Panchayat Results 2023: Mamta's big victory, but who will get an edge in 2024?
The ruling Trinamool Congress has won a major victory in the West Bengal Panchayat Election Resul
Captain Rohit Sharma's fierce form was seen in the second ODI played on Wednesday with Weeding. R
Four injured in Delhi Building Collapse
New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) Four labourers were injured when an under construction building collaps
Primitive humans died 40 thousand years ago, but their DNA was not found on Earth
The primitive man was discovered in the year 1856, but even today the mystery remains in many cas
Rahul Gandhi is on a UK tour these days. During this, the Congress leader has given a speech at C
Now only a few hours are left for the opening match of IPL 2024 to start. The first match of the
Final options like lockdown are the last option to prevent corona infection: CM Shivraj
Corona continues to wreak havoc all over the country. Meanwhile, there are increasing cases of co
