Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
Highlights
- Parliament on Monday passed a bill that repeals three farm laws
- Opposition MPs demanded a debate on the bill and raised slogans and banners
- Narendra Tomar said discussion was not required as Oppn had also been demanding the repeal of laws
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday lashed out at the government for not allowing discussions on the Farm Laws Repeal Bill in the Parliament and passed it immediately. Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament after the bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Rahul said "it is unfortunate that the farm laws were repealed without discussion" and sought to know why the government was shying away from a discussion on the bill, when the opposition was supporting them.
"We had said the government will have to take back farm laws. We knew the power of 3-4 crony capitalists cannot withstand farmers' strength," he said. "This is the success of farmers, success of the country".
"It is unfortunate that the farm laws were repealed without discussion. This government is scared of holding a discussion," the former Congress president said. "Manner in which farm laws have been repealed without debate shows the government afraid of discussion," he added.
What is the point of Parliament if discussions are not allowed, he said.
Earlier today, Parliament passed The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, to repeal the three farm laws against which farmers have been protesting for over a year, with its passage in Rajya Sabha. Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha also passed The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 within minutes of its introduction in the lower House.
As soon as Rajya Sabha met in the afternoon, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar introduced The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 shortly. He regretted that the government could not convince the agitating farmers about the benefits of the laws. He also attacked Congress for adopting "double standard" on the laws, as its own election manifesto talked about the need for reforms in the farm sector. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed a large heart by announcing the repeal of the laws on Guru Nanak Janyanti.
READ MORE: Parliament passes Farm Laws Repeal Bill
