AMN / DELHI
Rajya Sabha today resumed the discussion on Motion of Thanks on the President’s address to the joint sitting of both the Houses of the Parliament. The Opposition parties continued their demand of withdrawing the farm laws with suggestions of sending the revised farm legislations to a Select Committee.
Participating in the discussion Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan asserted that the Centre is committed towards ensuring MSP to the farmers in the country. Questioning the Opposition as to why they had no intention to include MSP as a legislation in their rule of over 60 years, Mr. Pradhan said that it is the government under the leadership of Narendra Modi which implemented the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee. He said the Centre has effectively implemented measures ensuring 1.5 times the MSP to the farmers in the country.
He highlighted that the NDA Government paid over two lakh 60 thousand crore rupees to the farmers under MSP in an year as compared to only about 92 thousand crore rupees under the UPA rule. The Minister added that India is poised to an unprecedented success story in this decade under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, poor and needy are at the focal point of government’s progressive reforms. Mr. Pradhan said, the Centre’s decisive and time-bound actions have ensured ‘Sabka Saath and Sabka Vikas’.
The Minister added that India’s stature at the Global platform has seen spectacular rise in the recent years.
Former Prime Minister and JDS MP, H.D. Devegowda raised the issue of suffering of farmers and alleged that some anti-social elements brought bad name to the farmers’ protest. He demanded that the matter should be resolved in a peaceful manner by talking to all the stakeholders.
Earlier, BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia lauded Centre’s efforts in tackling the COVID pandemic in the country. He said, under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the nation has risen like a Phoenix from the ashes of the pandemic. Highlighting multiple reforms introduced by the NDA Government in the Centre, Mr. Scindia said the three new farm laws will be able to usher in revolutionary changes in the Agriculture sector ensuring profitable returns for the farmers in the country. He alleged opposition parties of indulging in double speak over the issue of the farm laws. Mr. Scindia said, Congress which is opposing the farm laws today had explicitly mentioned in their election manifesto of 2019 that the APMC Act in the country would be repealed. He added that their manifesto also said that interstate trade would be free from all restrictions in the country. Mr. Scindia said that the then Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar wrote letters to the states in 2010 stressing on the need to increase participation of private players in the Agriculture sector.
Nominated MP Swapan Dasgupta while speaking on the motion of thanks highlighted how the new farm laws aim at bridging the great divide between farmers in different parts of the country.
Congress MP Digvijaya Singh raised the issue of implication of farmers, labourers, civil right activists and journalists on sedition charges. He asserted that dissent is the essence of democracy and added that the government brought in farm laws and labour codes without consultation with the stakeholders. Deepender Singh Hooda of Congress said that many farmers have lost their lives during the farmers’ protest but the government did not express any sympathy towards them. Terming the government’s attitude callous towards the demands of farmers, he said, several conspiracies have been made to malign the protest. Participating in the discussion, RJD MP Manoj Jha demanded roll back of the farm laws. He asked the government to hold further discussions on the issue with the agitating farmers and find an amicable and acceptable resolution.
TMC MP Derek O’Brien demanded that the three farm laws be repealed by bringing in a Repealing Bill of 2021. He said, the government should have sent the farm bills to a Select Committee for broad consultations before introducing it in the Parliament last year. Mr. O’Brien and other Opposition members stood for one minute in silence marking their tribute to the farmers who passed away during the ongoing farmer protests. N R Elango of DMK also demanded roll back of the farm laws. CPM member Bikash Ranjan raised the issue of bringing in structural changes in key sectors like Agriculture through Ordinance. He asked the government to repeal and reenact the farm legislations after thorough consultation. Terming the farm laws as black laws, Aam Admi Party leader Sanjay Singh vehemently registered his opposition. He said, the farm laws will give rise to hoarding and black marketing of essential food items. M V Shreyams of the LJD party also expressed opposition to the farm laws.
The discussion remained inconclusive today till the adjournment of the House. Rajya Sabha will further take up the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in its sitting scheduled for tomorrow.