FOOD SECURITY
A Congress programme at public cost?
In
India the "government of the people, by the people and for the
people" is run by a political party or an alliance which commands majority
in the House of the People (Lok Sabha). The council of ministers headed by the
prime minister, under the Constitution, is collectively responsible to the
House. Same is the story in States. Although the destiny of the Government of
India is steered by a political party or an alliance of parties commanding
majority, yet the government is for all – as much for the ruling party as much
for the opposition; as much for those who voted for it as much for those who
didn't. The government in power cannot discriminate between its supporters and
its opponents and, above all, on grounds of religion, caste, sex and region.
Although the Food Security Bill may have been
conceived by the National Advisory Council or the Congress and adopted by the
Government of India, yet the fact remains that once it has been promulgated by
the President of India on the recommendation it becomes a public property; it
is for all without discrimination as per its provisions.
According to government version the food security
guaranteed under the Bill will cost the public exchequer `1.25
lakh crores per year.
Though the Bill has not as yet been passed by
Parliament, yet the Government has announced that initially it will be launched
on August 20 this year – the birth anniversary of former Congress leader who
was also a prime minister for five years– in five Congress ruled States all of
which are going to the polls shortly.
All this gives electoral overtones to the whole
exercise. It appears as if it is not a programme of the Government of India which
will bear the cost of its implementation from public exchequer but a Congress
Party programme run on party funds. Why are non-Congress ruled States being,
initially, excluded from extending the benefit of the Bill remains unexplained.
That turns it not a national programme but a Congress Party programme to
further its electoral fortunes at public cost.
Should the President of India who is the guardian
of the word and spirit of the Constitution not take note of this flagrant
violation for narrow political and electoral cause?
