Winter Session 2021: Rajya Sabha passes Farm Laws Repeal Bill amid ruckus by Opposition

In a massive development, the Rajya Sabha passed the Farm Laws Repeal Bill on Monday, amid ruckus by Opposition. The Winter Session of Parliament began today, November 29, with the Centre tabling the bill. The bill tabled by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was passed in the Rajya Sabha amid heavy sloganeering by the Opposition.

Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar tabled the Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021 in Rajya Sabha. The bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha witnessed ruckus by Opposition MPs, forcing adjournment of the House, during the tabling of the bill. The loud sloganeering by the Opposition members, who demanded a discussion on the bill, continued on to the Rajya Sabha. Both the houses have now passed the bill to repeal the three controversial farm laws.

Leader of Oppn slams govt over repeal bill

The upper house witnessed the Opposition cause ruckus demanding discussion over the farm laws repeal bill that has now been passed. Attacking the government over the same, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Opposition welcomes the repeal decision but demands talk over the year-long protest that took place.

“We want that there should be a discussion on the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021. But with the passing of this Bill in Lok Sabha in a haste, they (govt) just want to prove that they are in the favour of farmers,” LoP Mallikarjun Kharge said in RS. “We welcome withdrawal of the three farm laws. We demanded a discussion on several incidents that took place during agitation including the Lakhimpur Kheri incident & the electricity bill. Farmers are still present at the protest site,” he added.

Congress also slammed the government over the passage of the farm laws repeal bill in the Lok Sabha. They claimed that all parliamentary norms were "thrown to the wind" as the govt passed the bill without a discussion. The party also stated that the government made the decision to repeal the bill in view of the upcoming elections. The Opposition party also said that the result of the laws was seen in the bypolls.

Farm Laws Repeal Bill

The farm law to be repealed are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

On November 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the Centre will officially repeal the three farm laws in the upcoming Winter session of Parliament. The three laws were at the centre of farmers protests that are being held at the Delhi border since last year. Despite PM's assurance of repealing the legislation, farmers have refused to stop their sit-in protests urging the Centre to hold talks with them over Minimum Support Price (MSP), the death of farmers during the protest and the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Image: ANI/ PTI