Left parties have decided to observe September 12 as Food Security Day across the country and their general secretaries will write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, demanding amendments to the Food Security Bill.
This was decided on the concluding day of the parties’ sit-in in support of a comprehensive food security bill here on Friday. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, All India Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party believe that the present Bill will kill the existing benefits also. Demonstrations will be organised in all States and FCI godowns will be picketed.
CPI leader A.B. Bardhan said Left MPs would move amendments when the Bill was taken up for discussion in Parliament.
Addressing the sit-in, leaders sought the scrapping of the above and below poverty line criteria for food distribution and demanded universal food security.
The last day of the sit-in was addressed by Mr. Bardhan, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, AIFB general secretary Debabrata Biswas and RSP general secretary Abani Roy. They called upon people to gather in large numbers on September 12.
