The Lok Sabha was on Wednesday, 3 February, adjourned till Thursday after protests by the Opposition over the Centre’s new farm laws created ruckus in the lower House.
Earlier, the House had been adjourned a number of times over the same reason.
Farmers Not Our Enemies: Azad Tells RS
Earlier in the day, addressing the members of the Rajya Sabha, Congress Leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Wednesday, 3 February, said that the Opposition stands with Prime Minister Narendra on China, but pointed out that “farmers our not our enemies.” He urged the prime minister to withdraw the farm laws.
Further, Azad said that innocent farmer leaders should not be implicated in the chaos that ensued on 26 January.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday, 3 February, asked three Aam Aadmi Party MPs – Sanjay Singh, Sushil Kumar Gupta and ND Gupta – to 'withdraw' from the House for the day.
According to Hindustan Times, AAP’s Sanjay Singh said: "We expressed our dissent in the House, we want repeal of three farm laws because talks won't help. Three of us have been suspended for a day.”
‘Do Not Implicate Innocent Farmer Leaders’: Azad
Stating that what happened at the Red Fort should not have happened, Azad also sought that innocent farmer leaders not be implicated.
“Strict action should be taken against whoever was involved (in the chaos that ensued in Red Fort). But at the same time, I want to say that no attempt should be made to implicate innocent farmer leaders in false cases.”
“We condemn what happened on 26 January. But please ensure innocent farmers’ leaders are not implicated or it will lead to another agitation.”Congress Leader Ghulam Nabi Azad
Azad also asked the PM to look for the people who went missing after the chaos on Republic Day.
Further, Azad condemned the sedition cases filed against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and multiple journalists, and said in reference to Tharoor:
“A person who was MoS, EAM and represented India across the world, how can he be anti-national? If he is anti-national, then we all are anti-national. How can we call an MP anti-national?”
Condemning 2019’s events in Jammu and Kashmir, Azad, according to ANI, said that he had never heard that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee or any BJP leader (before 5 August 2019) sought for Kashmir to be split into two.
“There was a demand for Union Territory in only one Leh district, not Kargil,” Azad said.
Rajya Sabha to Discuss Farmers Protest During Motion of Thanks
Fifteen hours have reportedly been allotted for the discussion on farmers protests, after the Government and the Opposition arrived at a consensus. According to PRS Legislative, to allow these 15 hours, the Question Hour will be suspended on Wednesday, 3 February, and the Question Hour as well as the Zero Hour will be suspended on Thursday.
A report on The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 by the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change was also tabled in the Rajya Sabha.
Previously
The Rajya Sabha session was adjourned thrice on Tuesday, amid slogans, demanding a repeal of the three contentious farm laws.
The Opposition parties had reportedly moved a motion for discussion of the farmers’ issue on Tuesday. In response to this, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said that the discussion will be held on Wednesday.
“President has referred to farmers’ agitation in his address. I wanted the discussion to start today but I was told that the discussion first starts in Lok Sabha. Keeping this in mind we have agreed to have a discussion on President’s address tomorrow.”M Venkaiah Naidu, according to ANI
The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha had on Tuesday, 2 February, convened the first functional session since the commencement of the Budget session for 2021.
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