BJP hits back at Rahul's charge on Food Security Bill

New Delhi, May 17:

today hit back at

Vice President

for his remarks that Opposition is responsible for failure to pass the

Security Bill and insisted that government should amend its "half-hearted" draft by emulating the Chhattisgarh Food Act, claiming it is better.

Referring to Gandhi's charge yesterday, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters that it is "baseless".

"Congress is in the habit of blaming BJP. Gandhi's charge is absolute rubbish. Instead of blaming others, Congress should blame itself for non-passage of Food Security Bill," he said.

BJP maintained if Congress has any compassion for the poor, then it should emulate the Food Security Act of Chhattisgarh, claiming it ensures "more coverage, more food grains and less cost to the poor".

"It is the callous and casual approach of Congress towards the poor which has resulted in a half-hearted Bill," Javadekar alleged.

BJP claimed the Chhattisgarh Food Security Act is more inclusive as it provides foodgrains to 90 per cent of the population unlike the Centre's Bill which covers only 67 per cent.

Even the foodgrains provided by Chhattisgarh is more than what the Centre will provide.

Justifying the disruption of Parliament by its members, BJP said the second leg of the budget session was wasted due to the "adamancy" of Congress which was refusing to remove Railway Minister P K Bansal and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar.

"Had Congress acted in time, it would have saved itself from the embarrassment and the session would have transacted the business," Javadekar said.

Refuting Gandhi's charge, BJP asked why Congress has come up with this Bill nine years after it came to power.

Alluding that this move was motivated by considerations ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Javadekar said the "Food Security Bill is just an election slogan for Congress. It is a vote security Bill for them but for us it is a commitment."

PTI