HYDERABAD, Aug 21: The Uttar Pradesh government should give permission to the VHP’s proposed yatra from Ayodhya by taking certain precautionary measures, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said here today.
“Let’s see what the VHP is going to do. It is a democratic country. Permission should be given and precautions can be taken. They can be given needed guidelines also. There are lot of yatras going around in the country. How do you prevent one particular community from taking out yatra?” Venkaiah asked while talking to reporters here.
He was responding to queries on the UP government denying permission to the VHP’s ‘Chaurasi Kosi Yatra’ (pilgrimage) proposed between August 25 and September 13.
Alleging that the Food Security Bill is only an election ploy by the Congress, he maintained that it would give “vote security” to the ruling party.
“The first question Congress should address is, why were you sleeping for the last nine-and-half years after coming to power in 2004? What is the reason for this delay? Congress president has launched the scheme yesterday even without the Bill being passed. The matter is under discussion,” he said.
Noting that the BJP is in favour of providing food security in principle, he said the party would like to ensure nutritional security to the people.
The government needs to take care of farming community to achieve “home grown food security,” he said.
Alleging that the food security ordinance has been brought in a haste, Naidu felt that there are several loopholes in the Bill and that the BJP would seek amendments to it.
The proposed Bill takes away the powers of the states and 18 states would be affected by it (in the form of reduction in allocation, etc) as they already have food security measures in place, he alleged.
It is not enough to give only rice and wheat and that pulses, cereals and oil should also be provided to the beneficiaries, he said, adding that quantity proposed under the Bill should also be enhanced.
Talking about the files related to coal allocation issue reportedly missing, he wondered why the Prime Minister did not come to Parliament yesterday.
The government is not forthcoming to make any statement on important issues like killing of Indian jawans by Pakistan Army, the railway tragedy in Bihar or the proposed division of Andhra Pradesh unless the Opposition takes an aggressive stance, he alleged.
The fall in the value of rupee against the dollar shows mismanagement of economy by UPA, he claimed.
Replying to a query, Naidu took exception to the JD(U) withdrawing the notice given to its ministers who made objectionable comments over the incidents along the border with Pakistan.
Naidu and the AP BJP leaders distributed onions to their women cadre who tied ‘Rakhi’ to them to symbolically highlight the steep rise in the price of the onions. (PTI)
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