The government on Tuesday assured the Lok Sabha that it would honour the decision of the Supreme Court on free distribution of foodgrains to the poor.
Replying to an impromptu debate initiated by Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj on the issue, agriculture and food minister Sharad Pawar said, “This government will honour the decision of the Supreme Court. Members’ suggestions will also be taken into account.”
Making it clear that it had ordered free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing them to rot in godowns, the apex court on Tuesday said, its previous observation on the subject was not a suggestion as made out by the government.
In his statement in the House Mr Pawar said, he had heard about the observations made by the Supreme Court from the media and had made attempts to obtain a copy of the court order. “It would be improper for me to make any comments without reading the official order of the Apex court as it could even amount to misleading the House,” he added.
Earlier Ms Swaraj raked-up the issue hours after the Supreme Court took exception to Mr Pawar’s statement that its directive on free distribution of foodgrains to the poor was a suggestion, which could not be implemented.
“It was not a suggestion. It is there in our order. You tell the minister,” the court told the government counsel.
The top court had on August 12 asked the Centre to consider free distribution of foodgrains to the poor instead of allowing it to rot in Food Corporation of India godowns.
Ms Swaraj made the statement in the midst of a discussion on the Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2010, prompting the debate on the matter and demands for presence of Mr Pawar in the House.
Ms Swaraj asked the government as to why it had considered the earlier direction of the Supreme Court in the issue as a suggestion and not an order.
“We want the agriculture minister to give us an assurance that the foodgrains would be distributed among the poor. The government should give us a plan to do it within a week,” she said.
Amid slogans from the opposition benches asking the government to give an answer, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said, “The highest court of the country has said that the earlier direction was an order not a suggestion. The government should distribute the foodgrains to areas which are drought prone.”
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said foodgrains are rotting and farmers are in a terrible condition. “The situation is grim,” he added.
Dara Singh Chauhan (BSP) said, “The Supreme Court has given notice twice and the government has not taken note.”
RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav asked the government to send the rotting foodgrains to drought-affected Bihar, to which parliamentary affairs minister P.K. Bansal said, “We will give it to you to distribute.”
When the debate took a noisy turn with charges and counter charges from both sides, deputy speaker Karia Munda adjourned the House for 15 minutes.