New Delhi:
Protests over the government hiking petrol and diesel prices over the weekend resulted in repeated adjournments in Rajya Sabha today. This seems to have stalled the government's plan to debate and pass its ambitious Food Security Bill in the Rajya Sabha today, a critical step before it can become law.
The BJP also plans to corner the ruling Congress on missing files linked to the allotment of coal blocks at throwaway prices to private companies, allegedly at huge losses to the government.
Sources say despite being a minority in the upper house, the government is confident of its numbers to pass the Food Bill - seen as its main vote-getter ahead of polls due in May - but opposition protests may impact proceedings.
Last week, the Supreme Court had slammed the government on the missing files sought by the CBI for its probe into 'Coal-Gate' and asked "is it an attempt to destroy records?" The court had also said the CBI would investigate how the files went missing.
To buy peace and ensure smooth-sailing for the Food Bill, the government had promised the Opposition an 'intervention' by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh - but disruptions prevented him from speaking on the coal files.
The Food Security Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 26, with cross party support, even from the Opposition which had questioned the bill's timing.
The landmark bill aims at providing rice at Rs 3 per kg, wheat at Rs 2 per kg and coarse cereal at Re 1 per kg to almost 800 million Indians, is expected to cost the national exchequer Rs 1.25 lakh crore. Questions have been raised about whether India's fragile economy can bear the cost at this time.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi had urged Parliament to take a 'historic step' by passing the Bill, but she couldn't vote on it as she was taken ill and had to leave for the hospital.