Farm bills protests LIVE: Opposition parties request prez not to give assent to contentious farm bills

18:29 September 23

Opposition parties request prez not to give assent to contentious farm bills

New Delhi: Opposition parties have requested President Ram Nath Kovind not to give his assent to the contentious farm bills, and conveyed to him that their passage in Rajya Sabha was "unconstitutional", Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Wednesday.

The government should have consulted all parties, farmer leaders before bringing the farm bills, Azad said after meeting the President.

"The Constitution was undermined ...We have given a representation to President that the farm bills have been passed unconstitutionally and he should return these bills," Azad said.

The Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, have been passed by both Houses and await presidential assent.

18:28 September 23

Cong MLAs stage dharna on Haridwar bypass road

Dehradun:Congress MLAs staged a dharna on Haridwar bypass road on Wednesday after they were stopped by the police from going to the state Assembly in a tractor-trolley to protest the passage of farm sector reform bills in Parliament.

MLAs Pritam Singh, Kazi Nizamuddin, Adesh Chauhan, Manoj Rawat and others were going to the state assembly in a tractor-trolley to protest the farm bills when they were stopped by police near the Prasar Bharti building on Haridwar bypass road.

Opposition parties request President Kovind not to give assent to contentious farm bills.

17:32 September 23

Haryana cops use water cannon to disperse Lok Insaf Party workers 

Chandigarh: The Haryana Police on Wednesday used a water cannon after Lok Insaaf Party workers, who were taking out a bike rally from Punjab to Delhi to protest against the Centre's farm bills, tried to jump over barricades put up at Shambhu village on the inter-state border near Ambala.

The police said it had warned the LIP workers not to cross the barricades and denied permission for movement of a large group of protesters in view of restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A tense situation prevailed at Shambhu village as the LIP workers led by their party leaders Simarjeet Singh Bains and Balwinder Singh Bains remained adamant to move on the national highway to Delhi.

The Haryana Police, meanwhile, was continuously making announcements asking the LIP workers to move back and disperse.

The police had sealed the area near the Shambhu border to maintain law and order.

On being stopped, the LIP leaders said that they have a democratic right to protest.

17:32 September 23

Members of the Trinamool Congress students' wing hold protest against the Centre over the recently passed agriculture Bills.

14:47 September 23

TRS Lok Sabha MPs from Telangana protest in Parliament premises

TMC and TRS MPs protest in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament premises over agriculture Bills.

14:06 September 23

Navjot Singh Sidhu joins party protest in Amritsar

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu joins party protest in Amritsar in support of farmers who are demonstrating against the passage of agriculture reform bills in the Parliament.

14:00 September 23

Congress workers and a group of farmers hold tractor rally at Mullanpur Dakha in Ludhiana against the passage of agriculture reform bills in the Parliament.

12:40 September 23

MPs of Opposition parties march on the Parliament premises in protest over farm bills

Opposition holds protest on Parliament premises

New Delhi: The Opposition parties staged a joint protest over the farm bills at the Parliament premises on Wednesday. 

The Opposition MPs, including Ghulam Nabi Azad and Derek O'Brien, among several others, carried placards with slogans like 'Save Farmers, Save Workers, Save Democracy', written on them. 

They held a protest before the Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises and also took out a march in the premises later. Earlier, the Opposition MPs from various parties who had boycotted the ongoing Rajya Sabha session, met at the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the House, Ghulam Nabi Azad. During the meeting, discussions were held on their further strategy on the farm bills passed by the Parliament. 

According to sources, the Opposition members are slated to meet President Ram Nath Kovind today evening amid the ongoing row over farm bills. The sources added that only five opposition leaders will be allowed to meet the President at 5 PM. 

Opposition members had boycotted the proceedings on Tuesday after the speech by Azad in the Upper House. 

Opposition leaders staged a walk-out from the Rajya Sabha and held a protest before the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises. Congress and other parties had also boycotted the proceedings of the Lower House yesterday over the government "not agreeing" to suggestions of the Opposition on the agriculture Bills. 

Eight Opposition MPs were suspended by the Rajya Sabha Chairman on Monday over the ruckus and the unruly scenes in the house on Sunday. While the Opposition members have expressed reservations over the manner in which the agriculture Bills were passed, the government and BJP leaders have accused them of not following the directions of the Chair. 

(ANI)