JOIN USOpposition MPs stopped from meeting farmers as deadlock in Lok Sabha over three farm laws continues
A group of 15 Members of Parliament from 10 opposition parties were stopped by the Delhi Police from meeting the agitating farmers at the Ghazipur border, even as the stalemate over the demand for a separate discussion on agricultural reforms continued in the Lok Sabha.
Members of Parliament including DMK’s Kanimozhi and Tiruchi Siva, NCP’s Supriya Sule, Akali Dal leader and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Trinamool’s Saugata Ray, RSP’s N K Premachandran travelled in a bus to the Ghazipur border, about 18 km from the Parliament.
“We were stopped three kilometres away from the protest site and had to return from the heavily barricaded Ghazipur at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border,” RSP member N K Premachandran said.
The deadlock in Lok Sabha over the Opposition's demand for a separate discussion on farmers issue led to repeated adjournments in the House.
Congress, which made a U-turn on its assurance to take up a discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, rallied opposition parties in demanding a separate discussion on the farmers' issue.
“The Opposition is united in seeking a separate discussion on the farmers' issue,” K Suresh, chief whip of the Congress in the Lok Sabha said after a meeting of like-minded opposition parties chaired by Rahul Gandhi.
BJP member Locket Chatterjee had on Tuesday moved a Motion to thank the President for his address to Parliament, but not a single speech was delivered amid protests from opposition leaders.
As per the schedule, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on Friday, but an aggressive Opposition appeared to put a spanner in the plans of the government
“I again request you all to return to your seats so that the House proceedings run properly,” Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said as members raised slogans and waved placards opposing the farm laws.
As per Parliamentary convention, both the Houses of Parliament take up discussions on the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha assembled together as the first agenda of business. The President delivered his address on January 29, the first day of the Budget Session.