In the midst of agitation & sloganeering by opposition members on the three new farm-laws, Rajya Sabha was adjourned four times today.

A walkout from the Rajya Sabha was staged by opposition parties including Congress, Left, TMC, & DMK after their demand for business suspension of the day to take up a discussion on the agitation by farmers of more than two-months-old was denied by the Chairman- Vice President.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union, which has been leading the farmers’ movement has vowed to raise awareness across the country on the new contentious farm laws. ANI quoted Rakesh Tikait, national spokesperson of BKU as saying, “We are going to different parts of the country like Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, & will launch a campaign to raise the public awareness on the farm-laws. Each state has its own set of problems. We will proceed accordingly, and raise awareness about the government policies among the tribals, employees, & downtrodden.”

Farmers  additionally have declared a countrywide ‘chakka jam‘ on February 6 when they would obstruct national and state highways for three hours in dissent against the Internet ban in territories close to their protest-sites, purportedly carried out to contain and suppress the movement.

Also See: Overview of the Farmers’ unions in the protests

When the Upper House- Rajya Sabha met at 10:30 am, the sloganeering continued and the Deputy Chairman, who was in the Chair, tried to persuade members to allow the House to function.

However, as the opposition members did not yield, he adjourned the proceedings till 11:30 am. At the time of adjournment, ports, shipping, and waterways minister Mansukh Mandaviya was speaking on The Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020. Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that opposition members themselves were demanding Question Hour and the government agreed.

“Question Hour is going on, whether they (protesting members) want Question Hour or not, let them place it on record,” he said, as opposition members were raising slogans. Opposition parties including the Congress, Left, TMC and DMK had given a notice under rule 267 that calls for setting aside of the business of the day to take up a discussion on the issue pressed.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu had, however, disallowed the motion saying that the members were free to raise the issue during the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.

Also See: An overview of Farmers’ protests-role of Charan Singh

When the House met for the day, Mr. Naidu said that he has received notice under rule 267 from various members but the issue can be raised during the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President’s address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament.

The President, he said, had referred to the farmer’s agitation in his address made at the start of the Budget session of Parliament last week.

While the Lok Sabha was scheduled to start a discussion on the motion on Tuesday, Rajya Sabha will do so on Wednesday(tomorrow). The upper House as of now is adjourned till 9 am tomorrow.

(Source: ANI, PTI)