Farmers issue ‘Voters' Whip' to Opposition MPs, ask them to be present in House, raise their issues

Agitating farmers on Friday issued a ‘voters’ whip’ to all opposition Members of Parliament, threatening to boycott them and their respective parties at every public forum if they failed to raise the demand for repeal of farm laws during the monsoon session.

“… in exercise of our sovereign right, we direct … that you must not allow any other business to be transacted in the House till the Union Government accedes to the farmers’ demands on the floor of the Houses,” the ‘voters’ whip’ issued by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha said.

It asked MPs to remain present, “without fail” in Parliament every day of the monsoon session beginning July 19 and must raise the issues and demands of the farmers’ movement on the floor of the House.

The group of farmers, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, have been camping on Delhi’s borders since November 26 last year demanding repeal of three farm laws. Government had held 11 rounds of talks with the farmers, who rejected the offer to amend the farm laws to accommodate their concerns and insisted on repealing the laws.

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The stalemate between the government and the farmers has continued since January, when the 11 rounds of talks ended.

The farmers have also asked MPs not to stage a walkout in Parliament as it would allow the ruling party to push through its business unhindered.

“...you must return to the House if suspended or removed from the House,” the voters’ whip said.

“This may be treated as the Voters’ Whip that overrides the Whip issued by your party. If you and your party defy this Voters’ Whip, the farmers of India will be compelled to oppose you on every public stage just as we oppose the leaders, MLAs, MPs of the BJP and its allies,” it said.

The agitating farmers have been mobilising support from across the country and plan to march to Parliament everyday from July 22 to push for their demand for repeal of the farm laws.