Hope govt draws lessons to not bypass Parliament: Anand Sharma on repeal of Farm Bills

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma welcomed the repeal of the three farm laws and hoped the government draws lessons to not bypass Parliament and meaningfully engages with the opposition before enacting laws with far-reaching consequences.

"Truth and justice have prevailed and the farmers' protests vindicated. Had the government not bypassed Parliament scrutiny and excluded stakeholders from consultations, the pain and suffering of the farmers and the loss of lives could have been avoided," he said after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of the Farm Bills.

"Hope that lessons are learned and the government gets the realisation that no law should be enacted in a hurry without the consultation with all stakeholders," Sharma said.

The deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha said the practice of the government to bypass Parliamentary scrutiny by not referring the bills to standing committees and joint select committees has created complications and conflicts like that on the farm laws and the Citizen's (Amendment) Act (CAA).

"The government should meaningfully engage with the opposition on proposals to enact any law that has far-reaching consequences," the former union minister said.

Prime Minister Modi on Friday announced that the government has decided to repeal the three farm laws, which were at the centre of protests by farmers for the past year, and appealed to the protesting farmers to return home.

Addressing the nation on the auspicious occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, Modi insisted that the laws were for the benefit of farmers and then apologised to the people of the country while adding that the government could not convince a section of farmers despite its clear heart and a clean conscience.

"I have come to tell you that we have decided to repeal the three farm laws. In the upcoming Parliament session starting at the end of this month, we will complete the constitutional process to repeal the three farm laws," Modi said.

"I would request all my protesting farmer friends, today is the auspicious day of Guru Purab, return home, to your fields and family and make a new beginning, let us move forward afresh," he said.