Union minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday condemned the ruckus created by Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha during the passage of two key farm bills and called it "extremely painful and shameful".The Rajya Sabha on Sunday passed two key farm bills amid a bedlam as Opposition members charged towards the podium of the presiding officer, flung the rule book at him and heckled him over their demand for a division of vote on their motion to refer the legislation to a select committee.Reacting to this, Rajanth Singh said such conduct is "not expected in a healthy democracy" and unprecedented in Parliament's history."Whatever happened in the Rajya Sabha was painful and very shameful.
The Rajya Sabha Dy Chairman is committed to values.
Such conduct is not expected in a healthy democracy.
Everyone saw misbehaviour with the Chair, members tore the rule book, climbed the podium.
I have never seen such misconduct in Parliament," Rajnath Singh said at a press conference in Delhi.Rajnath Singh also hit out at the Opposition for "violent" behaviour in the Rajya Sabha and said it has "harmed the dignity of Parliament"."Even if the Opposition was not convinced, does it allow them to be violent, attack the Chair? Misleading farmers for political gains is not indicative of a health democracy.
I condemn what happened in the Rajya Sabha, it has harmed the dignity of Parliament," Rajnath Singh said.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 the 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.Meanwhile, the Congress said the two farm bills are against the interest of farmers and today will be remembered as a "black day for democracy".The Congress also said that the government is attempting to hand over farming to corporates and the day will be remembered as "anti-farmer day".
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