New Delhi: Telugu Desam Party (TDP), an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on February 25 hit out at the government for "failing" to provide food security in the country, despite India boasting of bumper harvests and overflowing granaries.

Participating in the resumed discussion on the motion of thanks on the President's address, M V S Murthy said he was "ashamed" that there was no food security for poor and old people in spite of an excellent food grains production.

Suggesting that those below poverty line should be given free food grains, he said starvation and malnutrition in parts of the country could not be curbed in the absence of food security system from the Centre.

He wondered how could hunger deaths be avoided in the absence of food security.

Murthy made a strong plea for curbing terrorism and left wing extremism.

Chandrakant Khaire (Shiv Sena) demanded early resolution of the vexed Maharashtra- Karnataka boundary dispute.

PTI