The political division between the Opposition parties and the BJP-led NDA has sharpened with the passage of two crucial agriculture bills amidst a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha.
The government accused the Opposition party MPs of lowering the dignity of the house after papers were torn and mics broken by members protesting against the legislation.
The Opposition parties, particularly the Congress and TMC, have accused Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh of passing the bills without discussion and voting. Twelve opposition parties moved a no-confidence motion against the deputy chairman, who had been elected to the post on Monday.
Despite protests by multiple farmer bodies in Punjab and Haryana, with NDA ally Akali Dal also revolting on the issue, the government pushed through the bills—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. As the matter had escalated into raucous protests inside the House, the government also launched an offensive against the Opposition parties.
Six cabinet ministers led by Rajnath Singh addressed a press conference, late Sunday evening decrying the Opposition's conduct as lowering the dignity of the Chair, and parliament.
“The way rule books were torn, and climbing on Chairman's dais. This has never happened before either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. The behaviour of some MPs against the deputy chairman is very shameful, and cannot be condemned enough. This has not only affected the image of deputy chairman, but also the parliament. An effort is being made to misguide the farmers,” Rajnath Singh said.
MP Derek O'Brien attempting to tear a copy of the parliamentary rulebook in protest | PTI/RSTV
“I am very hurt by this, anyone who values parliamentary norms will be too," he added.
Noting that even if the allegations of the Opposition parties that they were ignored by the Chair were true, Singh asked whether this means they should turn violent and disrespect the House?
The Opposition had said the Chair had not agreed to the voting on the bills.
"The chair had said that he will allow the division (voting), but MPs were in the well of the house, and disrupting proceedings. Under this circumstances the division could not be held," Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
"The voting was not allowed. The MPs were humiliated. The way marshals were called from outside to manhandle the members. This is Gujarat model," Congress MP Shakti Singh Gohil said. Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal termed the deputy chairman's conduct as a black day in the parliamentary democracy. They are not listening to the voice of farmers. They are not listening to the political parties. They are not listening to the voice of parliament," Venugopal said, addressing a presser in response to Rajnath Singh's briefing.
The government is likely to move for action against the MPs who had rushed to the Well of the upper house and caused a ruckus. During the last session, in March this year, the government had demanded action against the Congress MPs in Lok Sabha after which the seven members were suspended for rest of the session. Similar punitive action may be taken against the Opposition MPs who were seen tearing papers and showing “disrespect” to the Chair.
The government has been at pains to argue that the new bills will lead to an increase in income of the farmers, and will not harm their interests.
“The Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) act will stay,” defence Rajnath Singh retreated again during the presser attended by ministers Piyush Goyal, Prakash Javadekar, Thawar Chand Gehlot, Pralhad Joshi, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
"Both bills are historic for farmers. It will help increase their income," Singh asserted again.
The Opposition has alleged that the new bills which allow the farmer to sell his produce to a buyer of his choice, outside the government-approved Mandis, may fall prey to predatory pricing in the long run. The minimum-support price is only available at the Mandis.
Congress demanded that the government state in the bills that MSP would be assured to the farmers even if they sell to private players.
“This was never part of the legislations,” Rajnath Singh said when asked why the government says that those who buy farmer produce below the MSP would be punished. Singh was brought in to present the government's point view as he is often presented as a farmer leader. He held the agriculture portfolio during the Atal Bihar Vajpayee government for one year.
Farmers, led by the Indian Youth Congress, protesting against the bills in Punjab | Aayush Goel
The farmers' protests are expected to escalate in the coming days. The BJP has already launched a drive to educate the farmers that MSP and the APMC will not be ended.
“The MSP was offered to farmers before, is in force now and will remain in force in future. The system of APMC will also be maintained,” BJP chief JP Nadda said in a separate briefing to the media.
He accused those who are against the bill as being anti-farmer.
“The irresponsible act of opposition is unfortunate. They violated the health protocols and norms of proceeding of the House. The BJP condemns the opposition's acts in the Rajya Sabha. The democratic system should function smoothly,” Nadda said.
Attacking the Congress party, Nadda said the Congress, in its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha election, had talked about repealing the APMC system, while the MSP and APMC will continue to operate.
