Farmers Movement Archive

Farm debates marked relatively smoother day of Parliament: All you need to know

The debate on the President’s speech started relatively smoothly in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday a day after protests and disruptions in both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday even as Lok Sabha proceedings were washed out for the second day as the Congress stuck to its demand for a separate debate on farmer protests. Here is a recall of the proceedings:• The debate in Rajya Sabha began after all parties agreed to suspend Question and Zero Hours to allow 15 hours for the discussion.• A united Opposition demanded the repeal of the three farm laws passed in September during the debate.• Leader of the Opposition (Rajya Sabha) Ghulam Nabi Azad said the “might of the farmers is the biggest force in the country and we cannot reach any conclusion by fighting with them”.• He demanded the repeal of the laws and restoration of statehood in Jammu & Kashmir.• Azad said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present in the House, is the only person who can find a solution to both the problems of Jammu & Kashmir and the farmers’ agitation.• He condemned the violence and chaos during a tractor rally on January 26, when a section of farmers raised a Sikh religious flag at the Red Fort.Also Read | Parliament proceedings halted amid protest over farm laws: All you need to know• Speakers from the treasury benches accused the opponents of the laws of spreading “misinformation” among the farmers and “stoking fears”.• Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP K Keshava Rao pressed for minimum support prices to be written in the law, which is one of the demands of the farmers• Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Elaram Kareem said the government policies were only intended to appease corporate firms. He added that farmer leaders were booked under fake charges for the incidents of January 26. • Biju Janata Dal MP Prasanna Acharya said the role of the police and the local administration and the farmers’ leaders needed to be questioned in the context of what happened on January 26.• Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Thiruchi Siva said that the government came to power with a slogan of “minimum government, maximum governance but what we have experienced are minimum governance and maximum mishaps”.• Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vijay Pal Singh Tomar said those criticising the farm laws were spreading misinformation as the new laws only stand to help small and marginal farmers. • He said the laws were passed after extensive deliberations and there have been 12 expert committees in the past two decades on the farm reforms.• The government has offered that the laws be put on hold for 18 months to facilitate discussions.• Tens of thousands of farmers camped at three Delhi entry points for over two months have rejected the offer.• Modi is expected to reply to the debate in the Upper House on Monday.• In Lok Sabha, the government wanted to address the farm laws in the all-encompassing debate on the President’s speech.• Speaker Om Birla was forced to repeatedly adjourn the House as MPs trooped to the Well. They raised slogans and flashed placards while demanding that the farmers’ issue be given top priority. • Congress leader Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the farmers’ agitation was harming the image of the country.• The Speaker insisted that the Question Hour must go on, but Opposition members refused to relent, leading to the House being adjourned for the day after three attempts to begin proceedings. • Modi is scheduled to address the Lower House on Friday.

Hindustan Times

04-02-2021

India