New Delhi, June 3
The Centre today decided to convene an all-party meeting soon to draw up a strategy to deal with Maoist violence in the wake of the recent attack on Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh that left 30 persons dead.

Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said there was no discussion on the ambitious Food Security Bill but the government was keeping all options open on the crucial legislation.

“The UPA Coordination Committee met to discuss the strategy to be adopted to meet the challenge arising from Maoist violence. It was decided to convene an all-party meeting on a day convenient to everybody,” he said.

The minister said all parties were being contacted to finalise the date of the meeting. It will be held after Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde holds talks with the chief ministers of the states affected by Maoist violence on June 5.

“The recent Maoist attack was an attack on our democratic system. It was an attack on the very foundation of democracy,” Nath added.

Sources said the government was still considering various options such as convening a special session of Parliament or taking the ordinance route on the Food Security Bill, keeping in mind the Opposition’s attitude.

There is also a difference of opinion within the Congress over the legislation with many senior leaders favouring the passage of the UPA’s showpiece welfare legislation in Parliament.

Opposition parties apprehend that the Food Security Bill may heavily tilt the balance in favour of the Congress in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

But at the UPA anniversary dinner last month, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had stressed that the legislation was “not a question of the government versus the Opposition” but aimed at transforming the lives of millions of people.