House descends into chaos over farm laws
NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha was supposed to see a debate on agriculture, the problems that ailed it, and solutions -- the closest the government has come to giving in to the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the three contentious farm reform laws passed last year and the ensuing and still ongoing farmers’ protest -- but what it ended up seeing for four hours on Tuesday was tumult and chaos.
At least two Opposition MPS, including Aam Admi Party’s (AAP) Sanjay Singh, sat on the table usually occupied by the staff of the Rajya Sabha secretariat (though they prefer chairs) and shouted slogans. The Congress’s Pratap Singh Bajwa, stood atop the table and tossed the House rulebook to the Chair . And Opposition MPS swarmed the Well of the House.
Two Opposition leaders later conceded that the “protests” were part of their plan; they were miffed that the debate was held on the generic topic of problems of agriculture, and not on the farm laws. Trinamool Congress’s Derek O’brien, however, claimed that all opposition parties will “fully support” the upcoming Constitution amend
NEW DELHI: For the first time in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, a piece of legislation was tabled and passed unanimously without disruptions on Tuesday as the Lok Sabha approved the 127th Constitution Amendment bill to restore the right of states to identify and provide reservation benefits to other backward castes (OBC).
The entire House supported the bill and debated for more than six hours even as furious protests continued in Rajya Sabha -- 385 members voted for the bill and no one opposed it.
Many parties, including those in Opposition as well as Bharatiya Janata Party allies, demanded that the current 50% cap on reservations should be lifted.