Chaos ensued in the Rajya Sabha on Sunday as the house cleared two key agricultural bills on Sunday.
Opposition member Derek O'Brien charged towards the podium, tried to tear the rule book, and allegedly attempted to snatch the microphone of the Deputy Chairman, as a mark of protest.The Upper House, which witnessed a brief adjournment due to the pandemonium, passed by voice vote the Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.
The bills have already been passed by Lok Sabha and will now go to the President for his assent before they are notified as laws.Trouble started when the sitting of the House was extended beyond the scheduled time to allow passage of the bills.
Opposition members, who felt such a move should be resorted to only by consensus, rushed into the Well, shouting slogans against the government and accusing it of being anti-farmer.PARLIAMENT LIVE UPDATES HEREFour opposition sponsored motions to send the two bills to a House panel for greater scrutiny were negated by voice vote, but the Congress, TMC, CPM and DMK members sought a division of vote on the issue.As Harivansh over-ruled them saying division of votes can take place only when members are on their seat, TMC leader Derek O'Brien charged towards the podium, thrusting the rule book into the face of the Deputy Chairman.(Photo: PTI)House marshals thwarted the move as also blocking a book that was flung towards Harivansh.
An attempt was also made to pulls microphones away from the chair but the marshals physically stopped that from happening.He also took to Twitter and alleged that 'they cheated'.
Sharing a video from inside the house, he said, "They cheated.
They broke every rule in Parliament.
It was a historic day.
In the worst sense of the word.
They cut RSTV feed so the country couldn't see.
They censored RSTV.
Dont spread propaganda.
We have evidence.
But first watch this"Harivansh, who asked members to go back to their places and not come into the Well due to the Covid-19 protocol requiring physical separation, first muted the audio of the live proceedings but with the ruckus continuing, he adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes.When the House reassembled, opposition parties chanted slogans but this did not prevent Harivansh from putting the bill to voice vote.As the first bill got voice approval of the House and motions for sending it to a select committee was rejected, at least two members tried to climb on the table of Rajya Sabha officers but were pulled down.Both the bills were passed by voice vote and amendments moved by the opposition parties rejected.Derek O'Brien later tweeted that the opposition members are staging a sit-in protest.He tweeted, "MPs from opposition parties now sitting in dharna INSIDE Rajya Sabha.
The opposition wanted a vote (division) on #FarmBills Govt pushed bills denying Oppn legit right".He also said that the 'BJP tried to break the back of yet another institution of our democracy'.