LS logjam ends hours after PM’s reply in RS

The Lok Sabha logjam that washed out four days of business last week ended after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stepped in asking the Opposition not to break tradition of passing the motion of thanks to the President, hours after Prime Minister Modi promised in the Rajya Sabha, in reply to three days of debate, never to abolish the minimum support price (MSP) to farmers nor wind up the Mandis (wholesale markets) but rather modernise them.

Rajnath Singh, who is himself a farmer, welcomed the members in the Lok Sabha to raise the farmer issues during debate on the motion of thanks to the President and the Opposition responded by starting the debate after Congress group leader Adhir

Ranjan Chowdhury insisted on a separate standalone debate of 2-4 hours on the farmers' issues after this debate or after one on the budget.

Calling to maintain the decorum of Parliament and follow the tradition of passing the motion of thanks to the President, Rajnath Singh made an emotional appeal "with folded hands" not to break this tradition and it worked as Chowdhury said the Opposition also does not want to break the tradition.