Left announces month-long agitation to press for universal PDS

NEW DELHI: Left parties today announced a month-long agitation programme to press for ensuring a universal Public Distribution System which will culminate in a five-day dharna in the capital in July-August.

The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Left parties attended by CPI(M)'s Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury and S Ramachandran Pillai, CPI's A B Bardhan, Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja, RSP's T J Chandrachoodan and Abani Roy and Forward Bloc's Debabrata Biswas and G Devarajan.

"The Left parties discussed and finalized the campaign to be organised on the Food Security Bill and the movements to be launched for ensuring a universal Public Distribution System," Biswas told reporters after the meeting.

He said the proposed Food Security Bill does not serve the purpose of ensuring food security for all citizens.

"The Left parties will conduct a month long campaign from the grassroot level in all the states in July. This will be followed by a continuous dharna during the monsoon session of Parliament from July 30 to August 3, 2012 in New Delhi in which thousands of people will participate," he said.

This dharna will see the participation of the national leaders of the Left parties.