Khammam,February 15: Condemning the Centre’s proposed move to lift the ban on export of rice and wheat, the CPI (M) Polit Bureau member and MP Brinda Karat has charged the UPA government with trying to feed the rest of the world while the people in India starve.
Ms. Karat was in Bhadrachalam on Monday to participate in a ‘maha dharna’ organised by Girijana Sangham marking the culmination of a 16-day cycle rally by members of the sangham demanding adequate fund allocation for tribal welfare in the next State budget.
Addressing a press conference, Ms Karat alleged that over 5 crore tonnes of stock of foodgrain was rotting in the godowns and the rabi crop was all set to arrive. “The Commerce Secretary Rajiv Kullan made a statement yesterday that the government was contemplating to lift the ban on export of rice and wheat because of lack of storage space. It is a shame on the part of the government, which is not prepared to give BPL cards to our own people but is ready to export the rice to other countries. If they don’t have space, let them bring the foodgrain stocks to the ration shops to feed our people.”
“The government should provide 35 kg of foodgrain each to all the families in the country, which is essential for food security, and drop the move to export the foodgrain,” the CPI (M) leader said and demanded that the universal public distribution based food security Act should be brought in the coming session of the Parliament.
Former MP Midiam Baburao and former MLA Sunnam Rajaiah and others were present.
–Agencies