Gujarat Congress criticises Narendra Modi for his letter to PM on food bill

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress came down heavily on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi saying that by opposing the Food Security Bill he has done a disservice to 58 per cent people of the state who stand to benefit from it.

"Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has done a great disservice to 58 per cent of people of the state who will benefit from the Food Security Bill by writing to the Prime Minister, opposing the Food Security Bill," Gujarat Congress president Arjun Modhvadia told reporters here.

Modi also distorted facts in his letter written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Modhvadia alleged.

"At present only 2.75 per cent people of the state who fall under the below poverty line category get grains at subsidised rates. However, after the bill is passed, 58 per cent of the people will get five kilograms of grains at a minimum price," he said.

The bill would fulfil the dream of India's founding fathers that nobody went hungry in this country, he said.

"His statement in the letter that the poor would have to buy 10 kgs from the market is distorted and does not represent the right picture," he said.

"Once the bill is passed in Parliament, the Congress would launch a massive agitation if the Gujarat government did not implement it," he said.