After unprecedented uproar and ruckus, the contentious farm bills have been deemed passed in the Rajya Sabha on Sunday by voice vote.
The Upper House has passed two of the three farm bills of the government.
The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed by the house.
However, the opposition claimed the government did not have the numbers and to cover it up, all rules were violated.
Opposition lacked the numbers to block the bills and had demanded that the bills be sent to a select committee for further discussion.
In the House, the Deputy Chairman said the opposition resolution was negated and moved to pass the bills by voice vote.
However, the opposition demanded a physical voting saying that that they were sitting in parliament.
The Chair refused their demand and in response, they rushed to the Well of the House, tore up the rule book and tried to snatch off the Deputy Chairman’s microphone.
Following the ruckus, the house was adjourned immediately for 10 minutes.
After it resumed, the voice vote took place amid repeated opposition slogans from the opposition who again parked themselves in the Well of the House.
“They cheated. They broke every rule in Parliament. It was a historic day. In the worst sense of the word. They cut RSTV feed so the country couldn’t see. They censored RSTV. Don’t spread propaganda. We have evidence,” Derek O’Brien tweeted.
Introducing the Bill, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, “I want to assure everyone that the bills have nothing to do with MSPs. MSPs were there and will continue. I would request everyone to reconsider their views on the farm bills. The two bills are historic and will bring a change in the lives of the farmers. The farmers will be able to freely trade their produce anywhere in the country.”
the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Sunday said that we don’t want a situation similar to that under East India Company.
“You have to decide whether you want to stay in the middle or in the hearts of the farmers. You should think about the farmers. What is it that they want? The farmers look up to you. It shouldn’t be that our situation becomes similar to that under the East India Company,” the MP said.
“The income won’t even survive under these bills, how will you double them? This story won’t be limited to Punjab and Haryana but will extend to BJP. The BJP should consider this,” he added.
On other hand, the Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, “Can the government assure the country that after the passing of the agriculture reform bills, the farmers’ income will double and no farmer will commit suicide?”
“A special session should be called to discuss these bills. If it just a rumour that MSP won’t be ended, why did a minister of the government resign on the basis of a rumour,” he added.