Left planning to make it tough for govt in House

NEW DELHI: After the civil nuclear liability bill, the Manmohan Singh government may find it tough to pass other crucial legislation as well. The proposed bills on food security and education could see a united Opposition in Parliament.

CPM polit bureau, at its meeting on Thursday, decided to reach out to other parties for a wider floor co-ordination against these legislation. “We won’t talk to BJP. But, sometimes they have views similar to ours on an issue,” a Left leader said. In other words, there will be an undeclared joint strategy to block the bills in Parliament.

Buoyed by the wafer thin majority for UPA, the Left is hoping that its tactics could bring the floor arithmetic in the Opposition’s favour. Parties like the Samajwadi Party, RJD and BSP, which are still backing the government on paper, have been singing the Opposition’s tune on several issues. The Left, which has planned a ‘jail bharo’ against price rise and other policies on April 8, expects to broaden its agitation plans by trying to rope in other parties.

While BJP has set up committees to scrutinise the food security and education bills, expected to be tabled in Parliament after the recess, CPM on Friday dubbed them as retrograde legislation and sought their withdrawal. A polit bureau release said the food security bill in its present form would create food insecurity as it reduces entitlements. CPM asked the government to come up with a legislation for a universal PDS with entitlements of at least 35 kg of grain at Rs 2 a kg. “The quota of 35 kg is cut to 25 kg; Antodaya entitlement is not specified at all; APL cardholders — those earning more that Rs 12 a day — are eliminated.