Union home minister P Chidambaram proposed a central legislation to take punitive action against hoarders at a Congress meeting on Wednesday but the move was sharply opposed by chief ministers of party ruled states as well as some of his colleagues in the government.
At a meeting of the Congress Working Committee convened by party president Sonia Gandhi this morning, Chidambaram expressed helplessness in taking strong action against hoarders in the country, contending that the powers in this regard lay with the states. He then suggested that dehoarding would be effective only if the laws were suitably amended and the Centre was given the powers to take action against traders illegally stocking food items, as a result of which prices were going high.
Opposition to the proposal, defence minister AK Antony said such a move would be impracticable as the Centre did not have any logistical support in the country to ensure action against hoarders. It would have to rely on the states, which would create a rift between them. Chief ministers of ten Congress ruled states also disfavoured the move on the ground that it infringed on the powers of the state.