Farmers Movement Archive

'What is Parliament for?': Shashi Tharoor on Centre's refusal to debate on farmers' protest

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday questioned the government's stubborn attitude for refusing the demands of the opposition parties to debate on the three contentious farm laws against which farmers' unions have been protesting since November. Calling the Centre's refusal to opposition's request for a debate in Parliament "undemocratic", the Thiruvananthapuram MP said, "If a debate were allowed to happen, MPs could voice the concerns of their constituents, the farmers, and propose solutions to the crisis. But GoI is stubbornly refusing the Opposition's request for a debate as they refused to agree to the farmer unions' demands. This is undemocratic."Click here for complete coverage on Parliament sessionThe Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 9pm on Wednesday after several adjournments during the day as opposition MPs demanded a separate debate on farm laws."I just cannot understand the attitude of the Govt and the Speaker in refusing a discussion on the Farmers protests and instead insisting on clubbing it with the debate on the President's Address. Parliament exists to give people's representatives a voice on burning issues of the day!" Tharoor said."What does GoI think Parliament is for? It is a deliberative body of elected representatives meant to offer their collective views on issues of national importance. Last session, GoI refused to discuss China and now farmers. Why have a Parliament at all if you don't want it to function?" he added.What does GoI think Parliament is for? It is a deliberative body of elected representatives meant to offer their collective views on issues of national importance. Last session, GoI refused to discuss China &now farmers. Why have a Parlmnt at all if you don't want it to function?The government on Wednesday agreed to discuss the issue of the farmers with the opposition parties for 15 hours, which came as a breakthrough. But as Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu said that the deliberations will take place in the Upper House after the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address to Friday's joint sitting, opposition members started protesting.The government and the opposition parties came to a consensus on the discussion of the farm laws. The 15-hour deliberations will happen in the Upper House of Parliament where the Question Hour has been halted for two days.Also Read | Farm laws stir: Three AAP members suspended from Parliament for sloganeeringFarmers from several states, mostly from the northwestern states of India like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have been protesting 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 around the borders of national capital for more than two months.

Hindustan Times

03-02-2021

India