Congress slams RS Dy Chairperson for not allowing division of votes, fumes at farm bills

On Sunday, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal slammed Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other ministers for justifying the action of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh's action. Flanked by 5 other Ministers, Singh had earlier defended the farm bills and condemned the treatment meted out to Harivansh Narayan Singh. After the RS Deputy Chairperson refused to consider the demand for a division of votes on a resolution to send the bills to a Select Committee, TMC MP Derek O'Brien allegedly climbed the former's podium, broke his microphone and tore the rule book. 

Referring to the press conference of the Union Ministers, Venugopal alleged that the entire episode was the conspiracy of BJP. Maintaining that the Centre was trying to suppress the voice of farmers, he condemned the manner in which the The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were taken up in the Rajya Sabha. He lamented that the bills were introduced by the Centre without consulting the opposition and farmers' associations. 

Read: Post Passage Of Bills, PM Modi Reassures Farmers On MSP System & Government Procurement

No-confidence motion against RS Deputy Chairperson

The aforesaid bills were introduced by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to replace the ordinances promulgated on June 5. 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.

After the passage of the farm bills in the Lok Sabha, SAD's Harsimrat Kaur Badal quit the Union Cabinet in protest. Speaking to the media after Rajya Sabha cleared the agrarian legislation, Congress Treasurer Ahmed Patel opined that September 20, 2020, would go down in history as a "black day". He added that 12 opposition political parties had moved a non-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh. 

Read: Sukhbir Badal Urges President Not To Sign Farm Bills