Farmers Movement Archive

Opposition obstructing important discussions: Joshi

Union minister for parliamentary affairs Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday lashed out at opposition parties for creating disruptions in the Lok Sabha, which was adjourned several times during the day. Joshi said that the opposition parties were obstructing important discussions with their sloganeering. The Lok Sabha session was adjourned thrice on Tuesday as opposition leaders from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress raised slogans demanding a total repeal of the farm laws passed in the previous session.“In the last session, when a decision was taken to not hold Question Hour due to pandemic they said it was the murder of democracy. Now when it is being conducted, they're obstructing. I appeal to them to hold discussions in Parliament,” Joshi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.Earlier in the day, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar told parliamentarians from opposition parties that the government is ready to hold discussions on the farm laws both ‘inside and outside Parliament.’ He said, “If members are ready to discuss the laws and issues related to farmers, the government is ready for debate inside and outside parliament. Had you started discussing and debating, half of the discussion would have completed by now.”Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were also adjourned for the day as members of opposition parties protested against the implementation of the farm laws and demanded discussions regarding the violence that erupted during the tractor rally on January 26.Farmers are agitating since November last year against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The farmers’ groups believe that these three laws will affect the procurement under the Minimum Support Price system and allow private and multinational companies to make profits off farmers as it will encourage corporate farming.

Hindustan Times

02-02-2021

India