New Delhi: Finally, the government blinked and agreed for the discussion on contentious three farm laws as well as protesting farmers' issue in Rajya Sabha, while it has not yet been decided about the discussion on the issue in Lok Sabha, which witnessed multiple adjournments over the issue on Wednesday. As per sources, however, the government may allow discussion in Lok Sabha in the next week.
Meanwhile, on the issue of holding an informal discussion with the farmers, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the Centre is not holding any informal talk with protesting farmers and described putting up more barricades and suspending Internet in and around protesting sites as law and order issues related to local administrations.
Responding on the charges of farmers being "harassed" and detained, the minister said, "Farmer leaders should talk to the Police Commissioner. I don't want to comment on the law and order issue. That's not my job."
In Rajya Sabha, the Opposition leaders have been allowed 15-hour for the discussion on the farm issue by Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaih Naidu on the recommendation of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi after deliberation with Leader of Opposition Gulan Nabi Azad over it.
It has been agreed by the Opposition parties that out of the allotted 15-hour for the discussion on framers' issue, there will be a 5-hour standalone discussion during the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address. The Opposition parties have been allowed time after suspending Question Hours and skipping the Private Members' Business on Friday.
Initiating the discussion over new farm bills, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad 'reminded' the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the several farmer's movements in the country and every time farmers had won in their fight against the government.
Initiating the discussion over new farm bills, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad 'reminded' the incumbent government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the several farmer's movements in the country and every time farmers had won in their fight against the government.
Drawing the attention of the government about the farmers' agitations that were held between 1900 and 1906 against the British Rule, Azad said, "If the British government court withdraw their three controversial Bills namely The Punjab Land Alienation Act 1900, The Doab Bari Act, The Punjab Land Colonization Act, then why cannot our government do the same for their brother farmers." Reiterating the demand to withdraw three farm laws, Azad said, "I request the government to take back the three farm laws."
Condemning the January 26 incident, the Leader of Opposition said, "There are few who are responsible for the January 26 incident, but several farmer leaders have been booked. Farmers are our own countrymen and they have done a lot for making the country self-reliant."
Azad also requested the PM to constitute a committee to investigate the people who are missing after the January 26 incident. Prior to the start of the discussion, three AAP MLAs – Sanjay Singh, Sushil Kumar Gupta and Narain Dass Gupta – were asked by the Chairman to withdraw themselves from the House under Rule 255.
During the discussion, the sedition charges against Congress's Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor and journalists were also brought into the notice of the government and it was requested to withdraw the charges against them as it's an attempt to implicate them as well as farmer leaders.
Participating in the discussion, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva sought assurance from the government and the Prime Minister on the repeal of the three contentious farm laws. The Lok Sabha witnessed multiple adjournments over the contentious farm laws as Opposition members mainly from the Congress, DMK, AAP and the Trinamool Congress rushed to the Well of the House demanding the repeal of the three "black" laws.
Members of the Shiv Sena and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal were also seen protesting against the farm laws. In Lok Sabha, the Leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanded suspension of Question Hour to discuss farmers issue, which was rejected by Speaker Om Birla citing that it's important to talk about the problems faced by the people in the members' constituencies.