BSP, BJD break ranks; suspended MPs end their sitin but refuse to apologise Opposition parties boycotted Parliament on Tuesday, first walking out of the Rajya Sabha in the morning and later from the Lok Sabha around 4 p.m., protesting against the flawed passage of the two farm Bills in the Upper House on Sunday. Meanwhile, the eight suspended Rajya Sabha members, who had staged an all night sit in under the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside Parliament, ended their protest. Parliament is expected to adjourn sine die on Wednesday. MPs from the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the DMK, the TRS, the AAP, the RJD, the NCP, the CPI(M), the CPI and other smaller parties boycotted the proceedings in both Houses. However, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Biju Janata Dal and the YSR Congress did not participate in the boycott. Though BSP MPs did walk out of the Lok Sabha, they distanced themselves from the rest of the Opposition. A senior leader said the party walked out urging the government to make legal provisions to implement the MSP.
In the Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the suspension of the MPs could be evoked if they expressed regret. However, this was not accepted by the Opposition. Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said no one was happy with what transpired in the House over the past two days. “Day before yesterday was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Bills don’t go to the standing committee or the select committee. I don’t approve of the fight — breaking the microphones, standing on the tables. But it was the last straw,” he said.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh tried to bring down the simmering tempers of Opposition MPs by bringing morning tea for the eight suspended MPs, who were on an all night protest on the Parliament premises. He also later wrote a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, which was made public, announcing a 24hour fast. However, the Opposition was none too impressed with Mr. Harivansh’s olive branch, and the protesting members refused to have the tea on offer even as ANI and Rajya Sabha TV captured the entire dramatic episode.
Although the method of protesting inside the parliament was not correct as they have broken the microphone and other in disciplinary actions however, the parliament not listening to the MPs and passing the bill with a voice vote even when they were requesting a proper voting is not responsible either. Parliament is the logical place where we can have a logical discussion
over the farm bills. This kind of protest is not normal. One MP has resigned. Others protesting on the garden of Parliament. This very protest shows that the seriousness of the issue.
