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Rajnath Slams Opposition for Chaos in RS, Says ‘Even I’m a Farmer’

“This kind of incident has never occurred in either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha,” said Rajnath Singh.

The Quint
Politics
Updated:
File picture of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
i
File picture of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
(Photo: PTI)

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Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday, 20 September condemned the ruckus by the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha after two of the three farmer Bills were passed in the House .

Slamming the Opposition in the media briefing along with other Union Ministers, Singh said: “Such an incident has never occurred in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha before.”

He further alleged that the opposition is trying to mislead the farmers of the country.

Further, in a bid to allay farmers' concerns, Singh said “friends, even I am a farmer” and reiterated that Minimum Support Price (MSP) will continue to exist.

On Opposition Feeling Unheard

On the Opposition's allegations of being "unheard", and being denied a division vote, Singh said: “Even if they felt ignored, unheard, is it still okay to be violent in a healthy parliamentary democracy?”

“In a Parliamentary Democracy, moral values have a big place,” Singh added. 

Addressing the question of division votes not being conducted, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi alleged the opposition was creating ruckus during that time.

On being asked why a provision for MSP cannot be incorporated in the Act, itself, Singh said that never have such provisions been incorporated in any act in the past.

Responding to a question on SAD leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who recently resigned from the Modi cabinet over the alleged 'anti-farmer' bills, Singh said that “all such decisions have political reasons.”

What Happened in RS Today

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’ Brien on Sunday attempted to tear the rule book and snatch Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan’s microphone as chaos ensued in Rajya Sabha amid a heated debate over the crucial farm Bills, which were subsequently cleared in the Parliament.

Meanwhile, the Opposition leaders chanted slogans referring to the bill as “Kala Kanoon”, and the parliament was adjourned for 10 minutes.

Later O’Brien tweeted a video, in which 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. Don’t spread propaganda. We have evidence.”

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Published: 20 Sep 2020,08:09 PM IST

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