Farmers Movement Archive

Proposal to stay farm laws stands, says PM

Political leaders, however, have insisted on a separate discussion on farmers issues, especially the three laws. In a meeting held by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday, the same demand was kept but leaders were told that they could raise these issues during the debate on the Motion of thanks to the President for his address to both Houses of Parliament set to be initiated after the Budget is tabled. On Friday, in separate press conferences, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal extended support to the agitation by farmers and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar tweeted that his party had raised the issue of farmers and discussed the women’s reservation Bill as well. “New laws will adversely impact the Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement infrastructure thereby weakening the Mandi system. MSP mechanism has to be ensured and strengthened further,” he tweeted after the meeting. Frequent disruptions The Prime Minister also pointed out that frequent disruptions of the House were detrimental to smaller parties, which got very limited time to speak in Parliament. He appealed to the larger parties to help run the House. As per sources, four days have been allotted to debate the Motion of thanks to the President for his address, 26 news Bills are to be introduced, including six related to Finance.

The Hindu

2021-01-31

January 31 2021 00:00 IST