New Delhi: Calling the behaviour of opposition MPs in the House unfortunate, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Gopal Narayan Singh on Monday said that his party had the majority in the House during the passage of two farm bills.
"What happened yesterday, never happened before in the history of the Parliament. They went up to the chair, used abusive language against the Deputy Chairman, stood on the tables and even tore the rule book. It's unfortunate," said Singh, an MP from Bihar.
Singh further rubbished the Opposition's allegations that division of votes was denied as the NDA did not have a majority during the passage of the bills.
"No question of not having the numbers. We had the majority. Why were they (Opposition MPs) creating a ruckus if they wanted a division of votes? The Deputy Chairman was asking them to go back to their seats, and was ready to allow division of votes," he said.
"But they were not willing to go back to the seats and were only creating a ruckus to project a false image and misled the nation," he added.
Earlier yesterday, the Rajya Sabha witnessed unruly scenes with members throwing papers at Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, who was presiding the House during the passage of the Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill.
Read: Rajya Sabha Dy Chairman running House at behest of PMO: Congress
Opposition members were seen standing on officials' tables and even broke the mike in front of the chair as they alleged that their demand for a division of votes on their motion to refer the legislation to a select committee was overruled.
The bills were passed through voice votes amid the din caused by opposition protests.
Gopal Narayan Singh, however, shot back at the Congress, accusing it of not doing anything for the farmers during its tenure.
"Congress never did anything for the farmers during their tenure. But after PM Modi's promise of doubling farmers' income by 2022, there is visible enthusiasm among the farmers," he said.
"For farmers to get good prices, more purchasers and investors need to come in," he added in support of the farm Bills.
Read: RS uproar over Farm Bills is anti-democratic: Rattan Lal Kataria
