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- Published: September 20, 2020 20:19
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Sunday passed the Farmers’ and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, amid major ruckus and protests by the Opposition MPs.
Though the bill is on way to become legislation, the day was remarked by unprecedented scenes of violent behavior by the lawmakers in the House.
As the Deputy Chairman conducted voice vote for passage of the bill, the Opposition members created huge ruckus in the House. Many MPs stormed the well of the House and heckled the Deputy Chairman Harivansh. Opposition parties snatched and threw papers from the table and even broke the chairman’s mic.
TMC MP Derek O Brien tore some documents in front of the Deputy Chairman and also tried to snatch away his microphone while other members resorted to sloganeering.
The protests took an ugly turn when AAP MP Sanjay Singh and Cong MP Rajeev Satav climbed the chair in front of the Deputy Chairmans’s chair to protest.
Owing to unruly conduct by AAP MP, Sanjay Singh was being escorted out of the House by the marshals but he almost came charging at them and when freed, he again climbed the chair in front of Vice Chairman to create chaos in the House.
Such riotous conduct by the lawmakers in the Upper House is totally unwarranted and uncalled for. Reports suggest RS chairman Venkaiah Naidu is very upset with behavior of Opposition and is likely to take action against the lawmakers who behaved like hooligans.
How protest broke out in House
The tumultuous scenes erupted apparently after Deputy Chairman Harivansh sought members’ nod to extend the time of sitting of the House beyond 1 pm till the passage of Bills. The opposition members demanded that the House be adjourned as per the scheduled time.
However, Deputy Chairman continued with the proceedings and asked Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to continue his response on the Bills.
As the Opposition demand was not accepted, they moved into well of the House and began snatching and throwing away papers from the table.
As the Deputy Chairman took the Bills for the passage, the protest by opposition members became louder and they started raising slogans against the government and against the bills.
Derek O’Brien of Trinamool Congress came near the podium and tried to show the rule book to the Deputy Chairman. An attempt was also made to snatch the mike and the marshals tried to prevent it.
The Indian Temple of Democracy!?? pic.twitter.com/Ti214pGxyC
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) September 20, 2020
This was followed by condemnable and abominable conduct of AAP MP Sanjay Singh who climbed the table and also provoked others to engage in slogan-shouting and ‘chest-thumping’.
The bill, which has put Govt and Opposition at loggerheads, allows intra-state and inter-state trade of farmers’ produce beyond the physical premises of APMC markets.