Week-Long Logjam Over Farm Laws Ends in Lok Sabha, Work Begins

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh appealed to the members to not break the tradition of passing the Motion of Thanks.

The Lok Sabha saw pandemonium for the third day on Thursday, 4 February. Image used for representation. 

(Photo: The Quint)

The Lok Sabha began functioning normally on Monday, 8 February, after a week-long impasse by the Opposition, who cornered the Modi government over the farm laws.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had appealed to the members of the Parliament to maintain the tradition of passing the Motion of Thanks, which had already been done in the Rajya Sabha, and stated that this long-standing tradition must not be broken in a healthy democracy, reported PTI.

Singh added that the members are free to address the farm laws during the discussion on Motion of Thanks, and appealed to start the debate on the President’s address.

Addressing the Parliament, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the Opposition wanted an assurance that the government will host a standalone discussion after the debate on Motion of Thanks or after discussing the Union Budget, reported PTI.

Speaker Om Birla also appealed to the members of the House to not indulge in sloganeering and break the deadlock over the three contentious farm laws.

The Modi government is and will always be committed towards the welfare of farmers, and the farm laws are intended to uplift them, claimed BJP leader Virendra Kumar. He addressed the House and said the Centre is trying to double the income of the farmers.

Uproar Over MP Moitra’s Statements

TMC MP Mahua Moitra, in her speech during the debate on the Motion of Thanks, created uproar in the House by accusing the Centre of failing India by making “hate and bigotry” part of the government’s narrative, noted The Indian Express.

“India’s tragedy today is not that her government has failed her, but that her other democratic pillars, the media and the judiciary have failed her,” said Moitra.

Moitra slammed the former Chief Justice of India, saying the judiciary stopped being sacred the day he presided over the trial that accused him of sexual harassment, following which he accepted a nomination to the Upper House.

“It squandered the opportunity to guard the founding principles of the Constitution”, added Moitra, as quoted by The Indian Express. The report added that Moitra raised the CAA/NRC protests as well as the farmers’ protests and said it depicted the Centre’s motto of “brutality over morality”.

“People are facing police harassment simply for asking questions of this government or for voicing an opinion on the state of affairs in this country,” said Moitra.

As the standoff between the Centre and the protesting farmers continues, the Parliament has seen several adjournments of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Budget session that began on 29 January.

(With inputs from PTI and The Indian Express.)