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”.

HOUR OF CHAOS

1:05 pm: As time for session exceeds, deputy chairperson Harivansh asks for time to be extended till bill is passed. Angered, opposition MPs call on the government to withdraw the bill. Minister, meanwhile, wraps up speech amid chaos.

1:10 pm: Protests intensify. Deputy chair moves ahead with motions to send bills to select committee. Amid the inaudible melee, deputy chair declares the motions defeated – further angering opposition which asked for a division of votes.

1:12 pm: Trinamool’s O’Brien approaches deputy chair with rulebook, appearing to wave or tear it. Chaos continued. The Trinamool MP later denied tearing up the rulebook.

1:16 pm: Microphones go off. One of deputy chair’s marshals is seen trying to wrestle for control of a mic.

1:19 pm: Rajya Sabha live webcast muted.

1:29 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned. Last ten minutes of chaos beamed without audio.

1:45 pm: House reconvenes, motion to send bill to select committee defeated. Voting by voice begins on the bills while MPs are still in the well of the House, seeking a division of votes.

1:50 pm: Deputy chair continues declaring amendments by opposition members defeated. One of the farm bills is passed.

1:52 pm: Second farm bill taken up with voting on multiple clauses.

2:30 pm: After all amendments ruled defeated, deputy chair declares second bill passed. House adjourned.