Amidst reports that the UPA Government might offer major sops to the farmers in the forthcoming budget, the BJP-led opposition on Wednesday tried to steal the show by stalling proceedings in both the Houses of Parliament on issues of agrarian distress.
Both the UNPA and the NDA members in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha raised slogans condemning the “anti-farmer policy” of the UPA Government and demanding a package for the farm sector and waiver of loans, leading to adjournment of both Houses for the day.
The Lok Sabha also witnessed protests over attacks on North Indians in Maharashtra with members of the RJD, a key constituent of the ruling UPA, storming the well on the issue.
The issue of attacks on North Indians did not come up in the Upper House, where a short duration discussion on it was listed but could not be taken up as proceedings were disrupted.
As soon as the Houses assembled in the morning, members from the SP, TDP and NDA started shouting slogans demanding suspension of Question Hour to take up a discussion on farmers’ issue.
In the Lok Sabha, NDA wanted an immediate discussion on the farmers’ issue saying they had moved adjournment motion and that the discussion be taken up forthwith. They were joined by UNPA members who stormed the well.
Similar uproarious scenes were witnessed in the Rajya Sabha both during Question Hour and Zero Hour with BJP-led NDA joining hands with Third Front. The Upper House adjourned first during the Question Hour and then for the day as the opposition vociferously raised farmers’ plight.