The Lower House on Tuesday witnessed unruly scenes as the day’s business had to be suspended multiple times before adjourning for the day.Asserting that the new agriculture laws were passed after extensive discussions in Parliament, the BJP Tuesday said in Rajya Sabha that doors are always open for farmers to resolve the issue through talks, and urged opposition parties to not make the farmers’ agitation another Shaheen Bagh. Moving the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the upper house, BJP member Bhubaneswar Kalita said the government respects farmers.
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha session was adjourned twice amid protests against farm bills by the Opposition.
A day after witnessing walkouts by the Opposition party leaders over farm laws, the government and Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday reportedly agreed to allocate five more hours to discuss Motion of Thanks and members can raise the farmers’ protest during the discussion.
The Upper House, which following COVID-19 protocols meets for five hours daily, will dispense with the scheduled Question Hour, Zero Hour and Private Member Business for the 15-hour discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address beginning Wednesday, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said.
After Rajya Sabha proceedings resumed Wednesday, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu warned members against the usage of mobile phones within the House. “There’s a restriction on usage of cellular phones within Rajya Sabha chambers. It has been observed that some members are using their mobile phones to record proceedings of house while sitting in chamber such conduct is against parliamentary etiquette,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Congress MPs Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma gave suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha over ongoing farmer agitation. BSP, CPI, All India Trinamool Congress , DMK, CPI(M) parties too gave suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha over ongoing farmer agitation. Congress MP Rajeev Satav gave Zero Hour notice in the Upper House over demand for withdrawal of three farm laws.
Lok Sabha adjourned for the day
Lok Sabha adjourned till 7 pm amid protests against farm laws.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 5 pm amid protests against farm laws.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 4.30 pm.
Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day.
CPI(M) MP Elamaram Kareem says this is a government doing everything for systematic undermining of the Constitution. Apart from criticising farm laws, CAA, he also hit out at government over love-jihad laws and privatisation of PSUs, saying that some of the ministers have become more of sales managers than ministers.
The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy told Parliament on Wednesday. He told Rajya Sabha that as many as 613 separatists, overground workers and stone pelters were detained in Jammu and Kashmir since August 2019 and 430 of them have been released so far. Replying to another question, Reddy said after the constitutional changes and reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation. "As a result, all the rights enshrined in the Constitution of India and benefits of all the central laws that were being enjoyed by other citizens of the country are now available to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh," he said. --PTI
Attacking the opposition members, who were trying to disrupt the proceedings of the House, he said, 'Let me remind them that the three farm laws have been passed by both the houses of Parliament after much deliberations.' 'The benefits of these three important farm laws have started reaching more than 10 crore people and small farmers. There has been no reduction in the rights and facilities of farmers. Through these agriculture reforms, the government has given new rights to farmers,' he said initiating the debate. The motion was seconded by another BJP member Vijay Pal Singh Tomar. --PTI
Asserting that the new agriculture laws were passed after extensive discussions in Parliament, the BJP Tuesday said in Rajya Sabha that doors are always open for farmers to resolve the issue through talks, and urged opposition parties to not make the farmers’ agitation another Shaheen Bagh. Moving the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the upper house, BJP member Bhubaneswar Kalita said the government respects farmers.
Prasanna Acharya of the BJD says in Rajya Sabha that an enquiry headed by a sitting SC judge should be set up into events of Jan 26. Says truth should come out, cannot label all farmer leaders. Asks why 2 lines of an MSP guarantee can't be written into farm laws
BJD MP Prasanna Acharya aks if the central government can give verbal assurance that MSP will stay, why cannot it add two lines in the farm laws itself? He urges the government to implement Swaminathan Commission. He says, "The government in 2014 had promised that the farmers' income will be doubled by 2020. What was the farmers' income in 2014? What is the farmers' income in 2020-21? Has it been doubled? If not, why? Is it not the government's failure in this respect?"
613 persons including separatists, overground workers, stone pelters, etc. were detained. Out of these, 430 persons have been released till date, Ministry of Home Affairs said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on number of arrests in J&K under Public Safety Act from 1st August 2019. "The government of Jammu and Kashmir has further reported that no person is under house arrest in the Union Territory," the ministry said.
In Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress asks the government to restore statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, and hold assembly elections.
"I have been listening to Atal Behari Vajpayee ji since I was in fifth standars. I have never heard him or any BJP minister (before this government) talking of breaking Jammu and Kashmir in two UTs," says Ghulam Nabi Azad.
"What happened on Republic Day is undemocratic, against law and order. We condemn the act, and call for strict punishment of the culprit. But at the same time, I would like to say that people who were not involved in the incident should not be implicated," says Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Self-sufficiency among farmers came only during Congress rule, says Ghulam Nabi Azad. "We should not fight with farmers... I request the government to withdraw the three farm laws," he says.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad pays tribute to the Armymen who lost their lives in Galwan Valley last year. He says no strength is greater than farmers' strength.
Congress MP Jasbir Singh has given an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over farmers' issue.
On the direction of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, LS Secretariat has rolled out ‘Parliamentary Research and Information Support to Members’ (PRISM) to provide 27X7 round-the-clock Research and Information support to Members of Parliament. With a dedicated team of Officers, PRISM will receive calls and messages from Members round-the-clock and provide them the necessary support at the earliest possible time. Arrangements for receiving requests from MPs have been made, with two dedicated landline numbers and one mobile number, on which MPs can call or text their Research and Information requirement anytime from anywhere. (ANI)
Congress MP Manish Tewari gives adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the farmers' protest, reports ANI.