Rajya Sabha: Amid row over farm bills, TMC's Derek O'Brien tears up documents; House likely to take action

The Rajya Sabha saw a massive ruckus on Sunday as the government sought to clear the farm Bills amid an unrelenting opposition determined to block them as TMC MP Derek O`Brien tore up the documents. Notably, Notably, the central government has claimed that the new agricultural legislation will make it easier for farmers to sell their produce directly to big buyers, despite growing protest from opposition parties over the issue.

For context, the Upper House of the Parliament on Sunday gave its nod to The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, as opposition MPs continued to shout slogans during their passage. Some lawmakers even staged a walkout in protest.

An aggressive O`Brien approached the Chair and tore the documents in front of him calling the Bill "Kala Kanoon". He was also heard saying, "You cannot do this" to the chair. So much so the aide of the Deputy Chairperson who was conducting the house at that time had to come to shield him.

Despite repeated requests, many opposition parties reached the well of the house to agitate. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad demanded that the discussion continues on Monday. "To decide this, we should go by the consensus of the members, not by the numbers of the ruling party," Azad said.

In spite of the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh reminding about the contagious nature of the current coronavirus pandemic, many opposition leaders refused to budge and continued to shout slogans in the well.

Now, the Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu is likely to take action against those Members of Parliament who created ruckus in the Upper House over agriculture bills.

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O`Brien, Congress MP Ripun Bora, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and DMK MP Tiruchi Siva were seen making attempts to snatch the podium mike of Deputy Chairman Harivansh, raised slogans against the chair, and tore papers. Due to ruckus in the House, the proceeding of the Rajya Sabha was stopped for 10 minutes.

Sources told news agency ANI that Rajya Sabha Chairman is very upset with the incident and he is likely to take action against those MPs who have created ruckus in the house and raised slogans against the chair and also tore papers.BJP is also unhappy with the behaviour of Opposition MPs the way they protested and attempted to stall proceedings of the Rajya Sabha.

Many BJP MPs, who took part in the proceeding today on condition of anonymity, told ANI that strict action must be taken against those MPs who behaved in an unparliamentarily way.

Before the pandemonium broke out, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar assured the house, "MSPs will not be touched at any cost. It is not just these Bills, many steps have been taken to double farmers` income in the past 6 years. There is no need to doubt that farmers will continue to avail MSP."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this day, too, clarified the misgivings over the current farm bills since they have already generated a lot of controversies.

"I said it earlier and I say it once again: System of MSP will remain. Government procurement will continue. We are here to serve our farmers. We will do everything possible to support them and ensure a better life for their coming generations," he tweeted.

He also hailed the kisan krishi legislations, pointing that it was a 'watershed moment' for agriculture in India.

"A watershed moment in the history of Indian agriculture! Congratulations to our hardworking farmers on the passage of key bills in Parliament, which will ensure a complete transformation of the agriculture sector as well as empower crores of farmers," tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this day.

Thousands of farmers in Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting since the government introduced these Bills in the Lok Sabha on September 14, the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The Bills seek to replace the Farmers` Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 promulgated on June 5.

The Farmers` Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 seeks to provide a new ecosystem in which farmers and traders, as per the government, will enjoy the freedom of choice relating to sale and purchase of their products and facilitates remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels to promote efficient, transparent and barrier-free inter- and intra-state trade and commerce.

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, aims to provide a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers.

(With agency inputs)