Never seen bills passed like this, says Sharad Pawar, undertakes day-long fast

Expressing solidarity with the group of 8 suspended Rajya Sabha MPs, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday undertook a day-long fast and said that he has never seen bills passed like this.

"I have never seen bills being passed like this. They (the BJP-led NDA government) wanted to pass these bills soon. Members had questions regarding the bill and they wanted a discussion,” Pawar, one of the seniormost politicians, told a news conference in Mumbai.

However, he went on to add that when the members did not get a response they came into the well. “Generally, the members are allowed to speak, deliberate and oppose the bills. I didn’t understand the haste in this particular matter,” he said, adding the basic concern was about mentioning the protection of minimum support price (MSP) in the bills.

“Now the government has clarified that such a protection mechanism is there,” he added.

Pawar denied reports that his party supported the BJP by walking out of the house when the bills were put to voice votes.

“The information isn’t true. Our members protested and walked out when the deputy chairman rushed through the bills. In the Lok Sabha, (NCP MP) Supriya Sule has spoken against the bills. My assessment of the deputy chairman, who is a disciple of (a great socialist leader) Karpuri Thakur, has proved wrong today. His conduct was unprecedented. I haven’t seen such a thing in my 50-year parliamentary career. That’s why I have observed a fast today to support the MPs,” said Pawar.

On Shiv Sena’s flip flop, Pawar said: “But haven’t they opposed it in the Rajya Sabha?”

Pawar said his party would formally announce its support to the nation-wide agitation by several parties and farmers’ organisations.