New Delhi:
Congress president Sonia Gandhi's letter to the PM, asking the Centre to ensure suspended Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer Durga Shakti Nagpal is not "unfairly treated", has posed a threat to her party's plans to pass the Food Security Bill in Parliament.
The Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, which provides crucial outside support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance or UPA at the Centre, has been severely criticised over Ms Nagpal's removal, which many allege was due to her staunch action against the state's powerful sand mining mafia. The Akhilesh Yadav government has said Ms Nagpal, the Sub Divisional Magistrate in Gautam Budh Nagar, was suspended for ordering the demolition of a wall that was meant to house a mosque near Greater Noida.
A week after the 28-year-old IAS officer's suspension, Mrs Gandhi wrote to Manmohan Singh, underscoring the massive public outcry. "There is widespread concern because officer in the course of possible duty was standing up to vested interests." (Read letter)
The Congress chief's indictment of the Akhilesh government led to retaliation. Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal questioned why Mrs Gandhi hadn't written a letter when IAS officer Ashok Khemka was taken to task for alleging that there were irregularities in land deals involving her son-in-law Robert Vadra.
And now, the Samajwadi Party it seems will take its displeasure over Mrs Gandhi's letter to Parliament where the Monsoon Session starts tomorrow.
"We will vote against the food bill in its present form," Mr Agarwal said today.
The Food Security Bill, championed by Mrs Gandhi, has been planned by the Centre as a game-changer ahead of the 2014 polls. However, the government, which is technically in minority, will need the support of Samajwadi Party's 22 MPs to get the bill passed in Parliament.
After the government rushed through an ordinance, the bill now has to be ratified within six weeks of its tabling. Samajwadi Party's political rival in UP, Mayawati, who also provides outside support to the UPA, has said she supports the bill in principle.
The food security programme is a Rs. 1.25 lakh crore welfare scheme that aims to give cheap food to nearly 70 per cent of the population.
The Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, which provides crucial outside support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance or UPA at the Centre, has been severely criticised over Ms Nagpal's removal, which many allege was due to her staunch action against the state's powerful sand mining mafia. The Akhilesh Yadav government has said Ms Nagpal, the Sub Divisional Magistrate in Gautam Budh Nagar, was suspended for ordering the demolition of a wall that was meant to house a mosque near Greater Noida.
A week after the 28-year-old IAS officer's suspension, Mrs Gandhi wrote to Manmohan Singh, underscoring the massive public outcry. "There is widespread concern because officer in the course of possible duty was standing up to vested interests." (Read letter)
The Congress chief's indictment of the Akhilesh government led to retaliation. Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal questioned why Mrs Gandhi hadn't written a letter when IAS officer Ashok Khemka was taken to task for alleging that there were irregularities in land deals involving her son-in-law Robert Vadra.
And now, the Samajwadi Party it seems will take its displeasure over Mrs Gandhi's letter to Parliament where the Monsoon Session starts tomorrow.
"We will vote against the food bill in its present form," Mr Agarwal said today.
The Food Security Bill, championed by Mrs Gandhi, has been planned by the Centre as a game-changer ahead of the 2014 polls. However, the government, which is technically in minority, will need the support of Samajwadi Party's 22 MPs to get the bill passed in Parliament.
After the government rushed through an ordinance, the bill now has to be ratified within six weeks of its tabling. Samajwadi Party's political rival in UP, Mayawati, who also provides outside support to the UPA, has said she supports the bill in principle.
The food security programme is a Rs. 1.25 lakh crore welfare scheme that aims to give cheap food to nearly 70 per cent of the population.
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