Post RS Walkout, Oppn Boycotts LS Over Farm Bills, MPs’ Suspension

Eight Rajya Sabha members, including TMC’s Derek O’Brien and AAP’s Sanjay Singh, have been suspended.

Eight suspended Rajya Sabha members.

(Photo: IANS)

Opposition parties, led by the Congress, boycotted the Lok Sabha session on Tuesday, 22 September, over the farm Bills row as well as to express solidarity with the suspended Rajya Sabha MPs, news agency ANI reported.

This comes hours after Opposition leaders staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha, calling for revocation of suspension of the eight MPs.

‘Those Protesting Aren’t Farmers’: Agriculture Minister

After boycotting the proceedings of the Lower House, the Opposition MPs, including Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and NCP's Supriya Sule, held a meeting in the Parliament premises. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also met with the Opposition members after the boycott was announced.

Meanwhile, speaking in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said those protesting against the farm bills aren’t farmers but are related to the Congress.

"They (Congress) say one thing in the House and another outside. Those protesting aren't farmers, they are related to Congress, the nation knows it. The reforms will help farmers and boost their income," he was quoted as saying.

On the other hand, five Opposition members of Rajya Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee also reportedly decided to boycott its meeting that was scheduled for 6 pm on Tuesday. The five MPs include TMC's Derek O'Brien, SP's Ram Gopal Yadav, Congress' Anand Sharma and Jairam Ramesh, and RJD's Manoj Kumar Jha, reported ANI.

Opposition’s Three Demands

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Nabi Azad had said they would boycott the Parliament session until the government accepted three of their demands related to the controversial farm Bills that have been passed in the Parliament.

Eight Rajya Sabha members, including TMC's Derek O’Brien and AAP's Sanjay Singh, were on Monday suspended for the remaining part of the current session after the ruckus in the Upper House on Sunday when two of the three contentious farm Bills were passed.

The eight members staged a sit-in in the Parliament complex after their suspension, ending it only on Tuesday when the call for boycott was given.