Govt ready to discuss food Act to sort out resentment: Mufti

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 19

Amid growing resentment over the National Food Security Act, which has sparked protests, J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said they were open to discuss all issues, including the Food Act.

Mufti was chairing a high-level party meet attended by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, ministers, legislators and leaders in Srinagar. The ruling PDP-BJP government has come under sharp criticism from opposition National Conference and separatist groups for implementing the Food Act. Top separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has demanded its rollback.

“We welcome criticism and are open to all issues which come for debate,” Mufti told the party men during the three-hour-long meeting, an insider said. “We can discuss the issues, including the Food Act.”

The government is likely to discuss the issues related to the Food Act at different levels with the peoples’ representatives, including opposition parties. The issue is also expected to come up in the forthcoming Assembly session.

With India and Pakistan resuming the talks, Mufti told the party leaders and workers that there was a change in the overall scenario and it was in favour of Kashmir.

“Jammu and Kashmir will be a beneficiary of this changing scenario,” Mufti said.

The party held a nearly three-hour brainstorming session to devise the strategy to review the party functioning. The party leaders gave inputs about political situation, Food Act and the working of the government.

“The issues for upcoming urban local bodies (ULBs) elections were also discussed and many leaders suggested that elections be held on party base,” the sources said. However, a decision would be taken by the party high command on these elections.

Sources said all the PDP ministers briefed the party leaders about the measures they had taken for system reformation. It is learnt that the Chief Minister appreciated the working of his ministers.

“They (ministers) are doing well,” Mufti said.

Mehbooba Mufti in her address sought suggestions on strengthening the party base. She expressed her satisfaction that the PDP’s agenda and vision were being accomplished.

Meanwhile, the J&K Government has ruled out any roll back on the Food Act.

“The government is open to accommodate suggestions of the people on the Food Act,” Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Choudhary Zulfikar Ali told reporters in Srinagar. “We will consider reasonable review of scaling up the quantity of ration. But we will not roll back the Act,” he said.