How the ruckus unfolded in House

Two controversial farm bills were passed in the RS on Sunday amid an unprecedented uproar by Oppn, which demanded more time for discussion. A timeline

Around 9:45 am: Rajya Sabha begins sitting with discussion of two of the three farmers’ bills. Congress MP from Punjab, Pratap Singh Bajwa first to speak, calling the farm bills an attempt to end the minimum support price system.

10:00 am: BJP’s Bhupender Yadav, MP from Haryana, speaks in defence of government move. Points to 2020 panel report on agriculture production that called mandis as monopolies. Defends practice of contract farming.

10:20 am: Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien calls contract farming bill unconstitutional, citing federalism. “Parliament does not have powers to make laws on agriculture. How will state governments protect farmers from exploitation? How will farmers bargain against big corporate?”

10:25 am: AIADMK MP SR Balasubramaniam concurs with O’Brien, says small farmers at particular risk.

10:30-10:45 am:

Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav asks why government has not held consultations with farmers. DMK’s TKS Elangovan and TRS’s K Keshava Rao oppose the bills as well

10:50 am: YSR Congress’s V Vijaysai Reddy defends bills, says farmers can contract at pre-determined rates. Speaking next, JD(U)’s Ram Chandra Prasad supports them as well.

11:05-11:20 am: CPI(M)’s KK Ragesh, RJD’s Manoj Jha, BJD’s Amar Patnaik criticise the bill.

10:23 am: Naresh Gujral from Shiromani Akali Dal – a BJP ally – requests government to send bills to select committees.

11.30am-12:20pm:

Members from TDP, NCP, BSP, Shiv Sena, Aam Aadmi Party, DMK and Congress oppose the bill. “The government is saying there ar rumours about the farm bills. Did a cabinet minister resign over rum

SAYS SHIV SENA’S SANJA

12:57 pm: Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar responds. Says government has clarified bill has “nothing to do with minimum support prices”.