Left protests in Delhi against Food Security Bill, demands subsidised PDS

New Delhi, Aug 3 (ANI): Left parties on Friday staged a protest against some of the provisions of the Food Security Bill, and demanded changes in the existing Public Distribution System (PDS).

The four Left parties - the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), the Forward Block and the Republican Socialist Party (RSP) demanded an increase in the quota from existing 25 kg per family to 35 kg per family, while decreasing the price from Rs.3 per kg to Rs. 2 per kg.

Interacting with mediapersons here, CPI-M politburo member Brinda Karat slammed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for exporting the food grains to feed foreign cattle when Indians were suffering from malnutrition.

"When you have got five crores of surplus food grains over and above the buffer that you are supposed to have, why you are exporting it at subsidised prices? For what? To feed foreign cattle while our own people are dying of hunger? Therefore, we have told the government to stop export," Karat said.

Earlier, representatives of the four Left parties sat on a five-day protest from Monday (June 30) till Friday (August 3). (ANI)