RJD links PM's Bihar praise to Assembly polls, to protest against farm bills on Sept 25

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday mocked PM Modi's praise of Bihar's democratic ethos, linking it to the state Assembly polls scheduled to take place in October-November 2020. The PM had lauded Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh, who hails from Bihar, for personally serving tea to the 8 suspended MPs who were sitting on a dharna outside Parliament. Describing Bihar as a "great land", he added that the state has been teaching everyone the values of democracy.

Yadav contended that the NDA leaders would forget the importance of Bihar after the culmination of the state election. Mentioning that the farmers are very angry with the agrarian bills passed by the Parliament, he opined that middlemen would benefit. The former Bihar Deputy CM announced that the RJD would hit the streets on September 25 in protest against these bills. 

Ex-Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav remarked, "Because it is election season, they will keep saying Bihar, Bihar, Bihar. Once the Bihar election is over, they will forget Bihar. Nitish Kumar is not bothered about the floods and waterlogging. The PM has not sent a Central team yet to assess the floods." 

He added, "As far as the farm bills are concerned, the farmers are very angry. The NDA made the farmers puppets of their donors. The hurry in which these bills were passed makes it clear that there is a mess. We opposed this in the Parliament as well. We will hit the streets on September 25 in protest. The middlemen will be benefited and farmers will be exploited. We will voice the angst of the farmers from Parliament to the street."

Read: BJP Warns RJD-Cong: 'Bihar Will Be Told About Your Insult To Dy Chairman Harivansh'

Read: Farmers Urge Goa Govt To Hold Talks Before Implementing Bills

Opposition to boycott session

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. On the other hand, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. TMC’s Derek O’Brien and Dola Sen, Sanjay Singh of AAP, Congress leaders Rajeev Satav, Ripun Bora and Syed Nasir Hussain and KK Ragesh and Elamaram Kareem of the CPI(M) were suspended by RS Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday for misbehaving with Harivansh Singh.

These parliamentarians who sat on a nightlong dharna rebuffed the RS Deputy Chairperson's tea diplomacy earlier in the day. After Naidu refused to revoke the suspension of the 8 MPs, opposition parties including Congress staged a walkout from the House and announced that they will boycott the rest of the Monsoon session of Rajya Sabha. However, Union Law & Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hinted that the suspension may be reconsidered if the concerned members tendered an apology. 

Read: 'This Politics Makes No Sense': Ex-Congress Spokesman Derides Party For Opposing Farm Bill