Food Security

The Polit Bureau decided to call for a countrywide campaign to “Save Democracy and to Defeat the Violence and Terror in West Bengal”. All Party units will conduct this campaign on August 7, 2013. All Party units will conduct this campaign on August 7, 2013. This campaign will inform the people about the murder of democracy in West Bengal and mobilize support to demand a halt to the violence and terror.

The CPI(M) had wanted the central government to give utmost priority to this matter. However, the Union Government failed to bring in a proper legislation for nearly four years for the consideration of parliament, and now an ordinance is being promulgated. The ordinance route shows contempt for parliament and is anti-democratic.

Leaders of the Left parties, the CPI(M), CPI, AIFB & RSP met the Prime Minister today and submitted a memorandum urging the government to take immediate measures to bring a food security legislation in this budget session of parliament, which would provide for a universal public distribution system; ensure 35 kgs of food grains at not more than Rs. 2 per kg and ending the cash transfer scheme for the PDS.

In order to intensify the campaign and widen the movement, the Left parties decided to conduct a countrywide mass signature campaign.The Left parties have given a call to collect five crore signatures. Members and activists of the Left parties will go house-to-house to collect signatures in the months of December 2012 and January 2013.

The CPI(M) strongly opposes the Government’s decision to sell 10 million tonnes of “surplus” foodstock to bulk consumers like flour millers and biscuit makers through auction under the open market sale scheme as a part of its supposed plan to tackle inflation and dispose the rising foodstocks. 2.5 million tonnes of grain will be allocated monthly through auction for the next four months on a “no profit, no loss basis”.

The Left parties will stage a five day sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar from July 30 to August 3 against price rise and to demand the right to food through a universal public distribution system. The General Secretaries of the four parties, Prakash Karat, Sudhakar Reddy, Debabrata Biswas and T.J.Chandrachoodan, will lead it.

The sharing of Teesta waters is a bilateral issue between India and Bangladesh. The raising of this matter by Hillary Clinton, that too with the state Chief Minister, is an uncalled for and unacceptable intrusion into a strictly bilateral issue.

The explanation that it is an inter-ministerial note prepared with inputs from various ministries only underlines the authoritative nature of the conclusions...  P Chidambaram has to take responsibility for his action and resign...