Tribune News Service
New Delhi/Chandigarh, Jan 11
Three Rajya Sabha MPs, including Partap Singh Bajwa and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa from Punjab, today walked out of a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture in New Delhi after the committee chairman refused to discuss the three central Acts passed recently and the subsequent protests by farmers.
The three, including afrom Chhattisgarh, demanded that the issue of farm laws and ongoing protest by farmers be discussed at the meeting. However, their demand was turned down by committee chairman PC Gaddigoudar, a BJP MP from Karnataka.
PM must show magnanimity
If the PM does not show magnanimity by agreeing to demands of the farmers, people will lose faith in the executive and legislative branches of the government. — Partap Singh Bajwa, MP
He cited the laid down agenda had to be followed and other matters could not be discussed. Officially, the agenda of the meeting was “Evidence of the representatives of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying)” in connection with the examination of subject “Status of Veterinary Services and Availability of Animal Vaccine in the Country”.Sukhdev S Dhindsa
The three MPs raised the issue citing protests by farmer unions at the Delhi borders for the past 40 days. However, the chairman refused to digress from the agenda and allow a discussion on the three central farm Acts, prompting the three to walk out of the meeting in protest.
Bajwa said the government should not have let the situation to continue for so long. “This is the last chance for the Prime Minister to intervene in this matter,” he said.
“If the PM does not step in now and show magnanimity by agreeing to the demands of the farmers, people of India will further lose faith in the executive and legislative branches of the government,” the MP added.
Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) president Dhindsa, who is a nominated member of the committee, objected to the refusal of the committee to discuss the farm laws.