New Delhi: Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi's pet welfare legislation, the Food Security Bill, is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday coinciding with the birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The government had appealed to the political parties to support the Bill but the Opposition and some of the UPA's allies have voiced their concerns over the content of the Bill. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had said that they are not opposed to the Bill but want a discussion over it, the Samajwadi Party has yet not clarified its stand over the issue.
In a bid to pacify the Opposition, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath on Monday said that the government was ready to accept all "workable" amendments. "We are looking at this situation that if it is an amendment which is workable, the government will move that amendment. It will come in as an official amendment," Nath told reporters outside Parliament House when asked about 200-odd amendments.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also convened a meeting with ministers related to the rollout and implementation of the food security law on Monday.
The meeting, convened by the Prime Minister, was attended by Food Minister KV Thomas, Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju and Finance Minister P Chidambaram among others.
"We discussed the various amendments moved by the parties as to which all can be accepted so that the bill can be passed easily," Nath said.
The Congress also reached out to Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for his support for passage of the Food Security Bill.
Food Minister KV Thomas, along with Nath and Sonia Gandhi's Political Secretary Ahmed Patel met Yadav in the evening.
Senior Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav was also present during the meeting after which the SP chief whip in Lok Sabha Shailendra Kumar said a meeting of the SP Parliamentary Party will be held on Tuesday morning to take a view of the Bill.
The SP is a key outside supporter of the Congress-led UPA government. Earlier in August, Mulayam had said his party was ready to support the Bill if the government promises to protect the interests of farmers and ensures they get profit for their produce.
The BSP, which is another outside supporter, has also backed the Bill but its chief Mayawati was critical of bringing an ordinance to bring it into effect.
The Congress sought to woo Mulayam at a time when it has been confronted with a large number of amendments from the Opposition. It also comes at a time when there have been continued protest by TDP MPs on Telangana issue.
Nath on Monday said Speaker Meira Kumar will take a decision on Tuesday morning on what should be done about the protests by TDP MPs. While Nath said no politics should be involved in the measure, Opposition leaders have been insisting no bill should be passed in the din.
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