A voice vote was held in Rajya Sabha amid slogans from the opposition.
New Delhi:
A day after controversial agricultural bills were passed amid dramatic opposition protests and verbal clashes in Rajya Sabha, the government is likely to seek action against members seen tearing papers and ripping off microphones. The government is likely to request the suspension of the members, sources said Monday.
At the same time, the opposition parties are also gathering forces to discuss a response to yesterday’s chaos and to counter the government; they allege that the ruling BJP forced the bills to pass in a hasty voice vote.
Two of the government’s three agricultural bills, which have sparked protests by opposition parties and farmers, were passed on Sunday amid unprecedented scenes in Rajya Sabha.
Sanjay Singh from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congressman Rajiv Satav climbed onto the General Secretary’s table in the center of the house, Trinamool Congressman Derek O’Brien waved a rule book in front of the president and some members took out microphones on their seats, sources said. Some members also tore up copies of the bills, the sources added, saying these members were responsible for the suspension.
The bills, which were passed in the Lok Sabha previously, will now go to the president for approval before becoming law.
The opposition, which lacked the numbers to block the bills, had asked that the bills be sent to a select committee for review. They had also asked for the debate to continue to this day. Rajya Sabha Vice President Harivansh Singh, who was in the presidency at the time, refused and allowed Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to continue his response before voting on the bills.
The dispute escalated when the opposition demanded a physical vote, but Harivansh Singh refused. Members of the opposition ran for the presidency, tried to break the rule book, and tried to snatch the microphone from the vice president.
A voice vote was held amidst slogans from the opposition.
Opposition MPs sat in the house to protest, preventing the start of the Lok Sabha shift.
Almost 50 members filed a motion of no confidence against Harivansh Singh.
“This doesn’t end here,” said Derek O’Brien of the Trinamool Congress, calling it a “murder of democracy.”
“They cheated. They broke all the rules of Parliament. It was a historic day. In the worst sense of the word. They cut the broadcast of RSTV so that the country could not watch. They censored RSTV. Do not spread propaganda. We have evidence,” he tweeted. Derek O’Brien.
During the discussion on the bills, the government said that the Draft Law on Trade and Trade in Agricultural Products and the Draft Law on Price Guarantee and Agricultural Services will bring important reforms in the lives of farmers.
After the bills were passed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “For decades, the Indian farmer was subject to various constraints and intimidated by intermediaries. The bills passed by Parliament free farmers from such adversities. These bills will fuel efforts to double farmers’ incomes and ensure greater prosperity for them. “
Another tweet from him read: “I said it before and I say it once again: the MSP (Minimum Support Price) system will remain. Public procurement will continue. We are here to serve our farmers. We will do everything we can to support them. and guarantee a better life for future generations. “
The opposition has argued that the proposed laws will empower businesses and farmers will be deprived of a fair price for their produce.
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