Opposition parties conduct silent protest march in Parliament over Farm Bills

New Delhi: Various opposition parties Wednesday took out a silent protest march in the Parliament complex against the contentious Farm Bills passed recently. The protesting MPs carried placards with messages such as “Save Farmers, Save Workers, Save Democracy”

MPs of the Opposition parties, including Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad, TMC’s Derek O’Brien, and Samajwadi Party’s Jaya Bachchan among others held placards with slogans ‘Save Farmers’ as well as ‘Save Farmers, Save Workers, Save Democracy’ as they first staged a protest before the Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises and later took out a march.
Several Opposition parties have protested the passage of the Farm Bills in Parliament and have boycotted the proceedings of both Houses.

Earlier, the Opposition MPs wrote to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asking him not to pass the three labour related bills in the Upper House in absence of the opposition. “It will be a blot on democracy if bills are passed unilaterally,” they wrote in the letter.

Ahead of their meeting with President, opposition MPs take out march against farm Bills
|#FarmBill2020 @INCIndia| pic.twitter.com/iWutPWBDR6

— Newsroom Post (@NewsroomPostCom) September 23, 2020

While talking to ANI, MPs said that the opposition is doing its job and demanding the rollback of the Bill.

“At least 16 opposition parties MPs have boycotted Rajya Sabha proceedings. We have boycotted for raising farmers. Our demands are that MSP must be ensured to farmers. Until and unless the government give a statement regarding MSP and make a new law, we will continue to boycott,” said Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Azad said the Opposition members will meet President Ram Nath Kovind regarding Farmers’ Bill and tell him that there was no division of votes during the passage of Bills.

Delhi: TMC & TRS MPs protest in front of Gandhi statue in Parliament premises over agriculture Bills pic.twitter.com/tQKzW9xeZM

— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2020

President’s House has allotted time to Opposition parties at 5 pm today to meet President Kovind over the farm bills. Only five opposition leaders permitted to meet, owing to Covid-19, people familiar with the matter said.

Meanwhile, RJD MP Manoj Jha said. “Today the government is bringing labour laws without opposition in Rajya Sabha. This bill will make the labourers handicapped. The government is not worried about the opposition. Is this the way of parliament democracy? The opposition is doing its job and raising the issue that matters to the public.”

AAP’s suspended MP Sanjay Singh alleged that the government,” has murdered democracy and passed a black law for farmers.”

“We demand that this bill should be returned. We marched as we are opposed to the Bill. We have taken inspiration from Gandhi Ji. We want this bill to be rollbacked,” he added.

Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code 2020 and the Code on Social Security, 2020. Lok Sabha had passed the Bills on Tuesday.