A day after the government said that it was open to make reasonable amendments in the National Food Security Act, the opposition today said that the ruling dispensation cannot do it as it was a central legislation.“The PDP-BJP Government cannot make any amendments in the law since the National Food Security Act was directly implemented by the government without bringing the food bill for discussion in the Assembly,” National Conference General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar told KNS.“The PDP-led dispensation is befooling people of the state by making such statements about the law. The concerned minster is confusing and befooling people about the law. How can the government amend the Act which is passed by the Parliament of India? And the state government directly implemented it in the state,” Sagar said, adding only Parliament can amend it.
State Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Zulfkar Ali had on Saturday said that the food law is not a word of God which cannot be changed. “We will take a reasonable review of the legislation.”The NC leader said that the government has opened a window for direct implementation of the Central legislations by directly implementing the Food Act without bringing its bill for discussion. Sagar said that the opposition party was ready to discuss the law in the coming Assembly session.PDP’s senior leader and minister for rural development Abdul Haq Khan had on Monday said that the National Conference should discuss the Food Act in the Assembly rather than opposing it on streets.“Infact, NC first wanted the Act to be discussed in the Assembly. We are open to discuss it. But the government was in a hurry and implemented it directly to weaken Article 370,” Sagar said. (KNS)