Despite
64 years of Independence, hunger remains a living and ever-pressing problem in
India. In the midst of godowns bursting with foodgrain, every year there is a
recurrence of farmers' suicides, deaths due to hunger and starvation in
Amlashole-type situations and in abandoned tea gardens. The UPA 2 has been
planning to bring in a Food Security Bill for the past four years. A case on
the Right to Food has been ongoing in the Supreme Court for the past 12 years
and is now heading for final orders.
The
Right To Food Campaign is organising an Eastern and North Eastern Regional
Consultation on 8th June at Proggaloy, Barasat, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The members
of the campaign plan to discuss two important issues, which are emerging as
challenges to a comprehensive Right to Food in the country - one, the plan of
the UPA 2 Government to introduce a minimalist National Food Security Bill as
an ordinance, with no Parliamentary debate; and, two, the possibility of
getting concrete orders from the Supreme Court in the ongoing Right To Food
Case (Writ 196/2001) so as to make the right to food a constitutional and
comprehensive right. They shall also be planning their campaign actions for the
next few months, till the Bill is finalised.
Members
of the Campaign from Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Assam
and other north-eastern states will address the consultation. We shall also be
joined by Kavita Srivastava, National Convenor of the Campaign and
Secretary, People's Union For Civil Liberties and Harsh Mander, Supreme
Court Commissioner and former member of the National Advisory Council(NAC).
On 8th June 2011 at
5 PM at Kolkata Press Club (AC Room), Kavita Srivastava, Harsh
Mander and state representatives of the Campaign from Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Assam and West Bengal will meet the press to give their critique
of the the National Food Security Bill, the UPA 2's plan to introduce
an ordinance,and the future of the Supreme Court Right To Food case.
Saradindu Biswas
Anuradha Talwar
West
Bengal State Convenor
Member, National Steering Group
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