New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) The Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021 was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Monday amid heavy sloganeering by the opposition that wanted a debate on the issue.
The Bill was passed by a voice just as it was passed by the Lok Sabha two hours earlier.
When the Rajya Sabha assembled at 2 p.m., the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar moved the motion in the Rajya Sabha.
Earlier, in the Lok Sabha, the Bill was passed amid sloganeering by opposition members. The Lok Sabha Speaker had put the Bill for voice vote and it was cleared within seconds even as the opposition continued their sloganeering protesting the fact that there was no discussion.
The three Bills that stand repealed now are: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.
Earlier, Dhesi sent a letter, signed by over 100 British MPs and Lords, to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the ongoing farmers' protests, asking him to raise this matter with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi when they next liaise.
The Chief Minister told the media here that for more than a year since the Central government had brought three agriculture laws for the benefit of farmers, especially small and marginal ones, unfortunately, some farmer unions had been protesting on the Delhi borders.
While the Centre's announcement to repeal three farm laws is seen as a political decision with eye on forthcoming assembly polls in five states, the BJP claims that it has nothing to do with elections as the party has won many states after laws were passed by the Parliament.
On January 12 this year, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the three farm laws after scores of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh pitched their tents on various Delhi borders in protest against the three laws.
A nine-member committee of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the consortium of protesting farmers' bodies, will be meeting on Saturday, and it is likely to put forth four main demands. The meeting will also decide whether the SKM will go ahead with the originally announced 'March Towards Delhi' programme on November 26.
Congress legislator and Punjab unit party president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said the minimum support price (MSP) is the bigger issue than farm laws as it is the lifeline of farmers.
