Parliament LIVE updates: The Rajya Sabha witnessed dramatic scenes over the farm laws on Tuesday.Parliament Today Live Updates: The Opposition parties on Thursday slammed the government for its handling of the ongoing farmer protests. They accused the government of digging trenches and putting up spikes, where bridges should have been built to win over farmers. “Government has failed India at many levels, it failed to uphold Parliament’s sanctity because of its arrogance. Imagine the response if a Delhi-like situation had happened in West Bengal,” TMC leader Derek O’Brien said. Speaking on the Motion of Thanks on President’s Address, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha, also slammed the government for its reaction on the issue. “Our democracy is strong, it will not be weakened by anyone’s tweet, he said, addressing the government’s response to tweets by Rihanna and Greta Thunberg on farmers’ protests.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy introduced a Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 in the Upper House. In Lok Sabha, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will introduce The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021
On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha Chairman Naidu said that members can raise the farmers’ issue during the debate on the motion as the President had mentioned the agitation in his speech. Asserting that the new farm laws were passed after extensive deliberations in Parliament, the BJP said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the government’s doors were always open for farmers to resolve the issue amicably, and urged Opposition parties not to turn the agitation into another Shaheen Bagh.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Thursday pressed the government to repeal the three controversial farm laws and offered a ''Repealing Bill 2021' drafted by him for the purpose. Participating in a discussion on the motion of thanks on the president's address in the Rajya Sabha, the Trinamool MP also referred to the death of a farmer during the tractor parade in Delhi on Republic Day and said there should be a "proper inquiry" so the truth could come out.
He interrupted his speech to observe a minute's silence in the House along with other Opposition leaders, mainly the Congress, to pay tribute to farmers who had lost their lives during the two month agitation. "The 'Repealing Bill 2021'... this will repeal all (three controversial farm laws). I have taken the liberty of drafting the Repealing Bill 2021. I will share it with them. You repeal these bills (farm laws). There is a way to do it. Eighteen months' pause you will put on these (laws), but how?" he said in the Rajya Sabha. (PTI)
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 9 am tomorrow
Haryana MP and Congress leader Deepinder Hooda asks the government to shed its hard stance and withdraw the farm Bills. "Internt is blocked there, barricades are placed and farmers are being illtreated."
Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, says that the NDA government has never differentiated between BJP and non-BJP ruled states. "Our mantra is minimum government maximum governance. We don't discriminate between States ruled by us and others," he added
Sanjay Singh slammed the BJP and said saffron party workers stormed the Red Fort and disrespected the Flag. "On seven routes farmers marched peacefully on January 26, those who stormed Red Fort and disrespected triciolour belong to BJP. Deep Sidhu is a BJP man. He has met PM Modi. They can stoop to any level for their politics. The internet has also been shut down there," he said.
"It was said that Delhi CM is supporting the farmers. We want to assert that we did support farmers, and we will continue to do so. You asked for a stadium to make into a jail, we denied it. Now, we are arranging water and toilets, and you are stopping us," he added
Speaking on how the government has undermined federalism, Mr. O'Brien cites how cess (which is not shared with States) has been increased, and how MPLAD funds have been suspended under the guise of pandemic. He touches on the manipulation of BARC, fake news, media reporting among other things
TMC leader Derek O Brien is addressing the House now. "In these times, we should be thankful for small freedoms like being allowed to speak without the mike being muted, or the television feeds being censored or MPs not being escorted out by marshals."
Talking about the death of the farmer during the tractors rally, O Brien says if something similar to the death of the farmer in Delhi had happened in West Bengal or Maharashtra, what would have the reaction been? The Home Minister and Prime Minister are in charge of the law and order, so they should investigate the circumstances and provide a report.
Karnataka MP Deve Gowda calls farmers the backbone of the country. Speaking on the events of Republic Day, he says all political parties have condemned the actions of the miscreants and agree that they need to be punished. But the farmers' issue should not be mixed with it. The whole thing should be dealt with amicably.
Lighter moment in the House as Congress leader Digvijay Singh is called next to speak on the issue. Chairman Naidu says that was the order he was handed, and he didn't switch it up on purpose, as House laughs.
Digvijay Singh says that the gap between Modi government's promises and implementation of those promises are huge. He also speaks about how the lockdown was announced strategically to form government in Madhya Pradesh.
Participating in the debate on farmers’ issues in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, BJP’s Jyotiraditya Scindia in Rajya Sabha reiterated the party’s stand that the three farm bills were brought for the benefit of farmers. “We have broken the shackles to ensure that farmers can independently sell their produce anywhere in the country.”
“Those who earlier said they support [farm reform laws] have changed tack,” said Jyotiraditya Scindia as he cited the Congress 2019 manifesto.
Kumar says the government should be magnanimous in considering the farmers demands. He says Andhra Pradesh government should consider the demands of the Amravati farmers who have been protesting for 415 days.
Congress MP in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore has given adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over "farm laws".
Speaking on the Motion of Thanks on President's Address, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha slammed the government for its reaction towards the farm protests. "The media starts talking of the 'Pakistani angle and Khalistani angle' with regard to farmers' protest. This is not right."
Citing a portion of the President's Address on the importance of democracy, Jha added that whatever we have seen recently has been against the Constitution. "Our democracy is strong, it will not be weakened by anyone's tweet," he says, a day after the MEA's response to tweets by Rihanna and Greta Thunberg on farmers' protests.
Minister Kishan Reddy introduced Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Congress MP Manish Tewari has given adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over farm laws issue.
MP Jairam Ramesh requests that more members be allowed in the Rajya Sabha hall to create an atmosphere of debate. Currently, members are spread across Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha halls due to COVID-19 protocol. VP Naidu says they will discuss the issue later.
Proceedings of Rajya Sabha begin
Congress MP Chhaya Verma and Samajwadi Party MP Vishambhar Prasad have given short duration discussion notice in Rajya Sabha, "over rising unemployment in the country".
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