Congressional Leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said Tuesday that the suspension of eight members of the Opposition should be overturned and the Opposition would boycott the House proceedings until the demand is satisfied.
Azad also demanded that the government introduce a bill requiring private companies and even the Food Corporation of India (FCI) not to buy agricultural products below the minimum subsistence price (MSP).
“The government should present another bill that guarantees that private players do not buy below the MSP. On this, farmers can go to court. MSPs must be advertised in the Swaminathan formula. State corporations and FCIs should not buy below MSPs. Our colleagues who have been suspended, their suspension must be revoked. Until the government withdraws it, we will boycott the Chamber’s proceedings, “said Azad.
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During the debate, several members of the opposition also suggested that the suspension of the eight members be revoked. Most members also expressed their disgust at what happened in the House on Sunday.
Azad, who is also the leader of the opposition, said that no one, whether on the ruling or opposition side, was happy about what happened in Rajya Sabha on Sunday.
He said that the House was like a family, but sometimes there are disputes even within a family.
“We do not know how long the Covid-19 outbreak will persist. If Covid-19 persists, this could even be my last speech as I only have five months left in office, ”Azad said, adding that members of Parliament represented millions of people, who also wanted to hear them.
He said time constraints in the House often did not allow members to elucidate important issues. “We fight for every minute as soldiers fight on the borders,” Azad said.
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He said Sunday’s proceedings were “the last straw” of feelings that were suppressed over time. She said members were often upset about lack of time, adding that bills were not sent to select or standing committees when they should have been.
“I don’t condone someone breaking the microphone or standing on a table, but this had been suppressed for a long time and it came out like a storm,” Azad said. He said that Lok Sabha would be able to sit longer as proceedings began at 3pm, which gave MPs more time.
“The dispute was over the meaning of the house. The sense of home does not mean numbers. The sense of home means most political parties. There were 18 parties on one side and one on the other. This time limitation has become the biggest problem, ”said Azad.
He said that the Chamber works in coordination within the government and between the Opposition and the government. “But there should be no coordination between the president and the government,” he said.
“I don’t know if the government had the numbers. But there could be no division on resolutions or amendments, “said Azad.
He said MP Arun Jaitley had said that a government becomes “illegitimate” if the president does not allow the division of votes. Rajya Sabha chaiman M Venkaiah Naidu replied that Jaitley had also spoken of the “tyranny of the minority.”
Azad said the government announced the MSPs on Monday, gave no further information during the discussion in the House. The cabinet meeting should have been held earlier, he said.
“The government has spoken of a nation, a market in an advertisement. My request is that they do not go to a nation, a party, “he said.
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