New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday reiterated that the Centre stands by the offer made to the farmer unions to suspend the farm laws for 18 months till the stand-off is resolved even as the opposition parties tore into the government over its handling of the farmer agitation at the Parliamentary all-party meeting, ThePrint has learnt.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters that the PM said to the opposition leaders, who attended the virtual meeting, that the solution should be found through dialogue and the government is open for discussion.
While unequivocally condemning the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally in Delhi on Republic Day, the opposition parties, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena, questioned the government’s handling of the farmer agitation.
Demanding an immediate inquiry into the Republic Day violence to find out who was responsible for it, the opposition leaders were also unanimous that the blame should not be put on the farmer leaders.
The opposition parties demanded that the prime minister must convene a meeting of all party leaders and discuss threadbare the three farm laws.
“This will be a good message that the government is democratic,” Trinamool sources quoted Sudeep Bandopadhyay, the party’s leader in Lok Sabha, as saying during the meeting.
Also read: Opposition parties raise slogans against 3 farm laws in Lok Sabha on Day 1 of Budget session
‘Majoritarianism cannot let farmers suffer’
A senior opposition leader, who attended the meeting, told ThePrint that Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad said that had the government heeded to the opposition’s demand to refer the three agriculture bills to the select committee or the standing committee for further deliberations, things would not have come to such a pass.
Bandopadhyay, according to Trinamool Congress sources, said that 20 opposition parties boycotting the President’s address on 29 January is a strong message for the government to withdraw the three farm laws.
“Majoritarianism cannot let farmers suffer,” the sources quoted Bandopadhyay as saying.
Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told reporters that the prime minister narrated what Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the farmers during discussions that he is a phone call away from them provided they accept the government’s proposal.
Even the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), considered friendly to the ruling BJP, said the government should incorporate a specific provision in the farm law that the Minimum Support Price will not be removed.
Prasanna Acharya, BJD leader in Rajya Sabha, told ThePrint, “This is our party’s stand that provision for MSP should be incorporated in the law.”
The BJD also raised the demand for passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill.
The Saturday’s meeting was an indication that the Budget Session will be a stormy one with the opposition trying to corner the government over the passage of the three farm laws in September without discussion.
Other issues
The issue of smaller parties getting lesser time during debates also came up at the meeting.
Joshi said that smaller parties have been demanding that they be given more time.
“The Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi said that it is for the bigger parties to ensure Parliament functions smoothly, there are no disruptions and thus, the smaller parties are able to voice their views in Parliament,” Joshi tweeted.
The Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi said that it is for the bigger parties to ensure Parliament functions smoothly, there are no disruptions and thus, the smaller parties are able to voice their views in Parliament.
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) January 30, 2021
The PM also condemned vandalisation of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in California, US, Friday. “This is a huge insult,” Joshi said.
Except for the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), all other opposition parties attended Saturday’s meeting.
While LJP’s Chirag Paswan, sources said, could not attend the meeting because of poor health, RLP leader Hanuman Beniwal skipped the meeting in protest against the farm laws.
The Budget Session that started on 29 January will end in the first week of April. Usually, the all-party meeting is held before the Budget Session begins, but this year, the meeting happened after the session began.
Also read: 16 Opposition parties to boycott President Kovind’s address to Parliament
Other than the specific point raised by BJD, everyone else only talked in generalities. Is it true that the 3 bills close the laundry and take away all the cornered benefits and control by few wealthy farmers?
Why do we not hear specific changes ? only roll back, roll back.