Rajya Sabha passes the Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, amid protest by Opposition MPs
Rajya Sabha LIVE: Rajya Sabha passes farm bills amid ruckus
Rajya Sabha
14:07 September 20
13:47 September 20
Opposition MPs in the well of the House raise slogans, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh asks them to return to their seats.
13:45 September 20
House proceedings resume
13:35 September 20
Rajya Sabha adjourned following uproar in the House over agriculture bills.
13:02 September 20
Congress' Ahmed Patel in Rajya Sabha over Farm bills said: "I'll talk about what BJP's President said about our manifesto. He studied our manifesto & brought out a few points from it to compare with their Bill. Our manifesto is a horse and they have tried to compare it with a donkey."
13:01 September 20
Former PM & JD(S) MP HD Devegowda in Rajya Sabha said: "PM should explain why there's a hurry to pass the bills amid pandemic. He should explain what would farm bills do for farming community in short & long term & how it will help in achieving govt's goal of doubling farmers' income."
12:32 September 20
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in Rajya Sabha said: "Can the Government assure the country that after the passing of the agriculture reform Bills, farmers' income will double and no farmer will commit suicide?.... A special session should be called to discuss these Bills.
11:41 September 20
These Bills should be sent to a select committee so that all stakeholders can be heard...Don't think that the farmers of Punjab are weak said SAD MP Naresh Gujral, in Rajya Sabha, on agriculture Bills.
11:41 September 20
Uproar by Congress MPs in Rajya Sabha after YSRCP MP VV Reddy says, "There is no reason for Congress to oppose these Bills. Congress is a party of middlemen 'dalals'."
Congress MP Anand Sharma objected to the remark and demanded an apology from him. "I want MP Reddy to retract his statement and apologize," he said. Dr L Hanumanthaiah who was on the chair during the uproar said, "nothing will go on record".
11:09 September 20
Will not sign on death warrant of farmers: Partap Singh Bajwa
Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa on Sunday termed agricultural Bills as "ill-conceived" and "ill-timed" and said that his party will not sign on "death warrant" of farmers.
"The Congress party opposes these ill-conceived and ill-timed Bills. Congress rejects these bills. We will not sign on this death warrant of farmers. Farmers in Punjab are protesting. They consider the Bills as an attack on them.
Agriculture and markets are State subjects and these Bills are against the spirit of federal cooperative. We do not want APMC and MSP to be tinkered," Bajwa said in Rajya Sabha while opposing two agriculture bills.
11:05 September 20
Three Opposition leaders--CPI(M)'s KK Ragesh, TMC's Derek O'Brien and DMK's T Siva-- moved an amendment to send the two agricultural Bills to the Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha on Sunday.
This came after Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar moved two agriculture Bills in the Rajya Sabha.
These Bills are -- Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.
Both of them were passed by the Lower House with a voice vote a couple of days back.
10:44 September 20
"Farmers who contribute at least 20% to the total GDP of the country, will be made slaves by these Bill. It will kill the farmers and make them a commodity," said DMK MP TKS Elangovan, in Rajya Sabha, on agriculture Bills.
10:44 September 20
Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav in Rajya Sabha said: "It appears that there is a compulsion that the ruling party doesn't want a debate or discussion on these Bills. They are only rushing through these Bills. You have not even consulted any farmer associations."
10:39 September 20
"PM said that Opposition is misleading the farmers. Centre said double farmer income by 2022. But, at current rates, the farmer income will not be doubled before 2028. Your credibility is low to make promises," said TMC MP Derek O'Brien in Rajya Sabha, on agriculture Bills.
10:19 September 20
BJP MP Bhupender Yadav, in Rajya Sabha, on the agriculture Bills asked the opposition: "why has rural income reduced in the years you (Congress) were in power...Why are you opposing these Bills?"
09:43 September 20
Ex-PM H.D. Deve Gowda takes oath as RS member
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda took oath as a Rajya Sabha member on Sunday. The Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo took oath in Kannada in the presence of Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu shortly after the House convened for the day.
09:38 September 20
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar moves Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, in Rajya Sabha
"The two Bills are historic and will bring a change in the lives of the farmers. The farmers will be able to freely trade their produce anywhere in the country. I want to assure the farmers that these Bills are not related to Minimum Support Price," said Union Agriculture Minister.
09:15 September 20
Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Trivedi said: "Change the exam dates of National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by the national testing agency. 21 Oct, 22 Oct and 23 Oct happens to be Maha Panchami, Maha Shasthi, Maha Saptami which is important not only for West Bengal but for all of us, so kindly postpone the test."
09:13 September 20
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Saroj Pandey said: "Ayushman Bharat Yojana is not fully implemented in Chhattisgarh. The state is very much affected due to the COVID-19. The poor are affected the most by the pandemic. The government should at least implement the yojana so that it will help the poor."
08:48 September 20
BJP MP Vivek Thakur gives zero hour notice in RS
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vivek Thakur has given Zero-Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over "the need for clarity on the uniform implementation of proposed COVID-19 vaccine in all states"
08:47 September 20
BJP MP Saroj Pandey gives zero hour notice in RS
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Saroj Pandey has given Zero-Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over the demand to implement Ayushman Bharat Yojna in the state of Chhattisgarh
06:32 September 20
Congress MP Ripun Bora gives zero hour notice in RS
Congress MP Ripun Bora has given a zero hour notice in the Rajya Sabha over "demand for modification of modalities of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced to combat the economic loss due to COVID-19 pandemic."
14:07 September 20
Rajya Sabha passes the Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, amid protest by Opposition MPs
13:47 September 20
Opposition MPs in the well of the House raise slogans, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh asks them to return to their seats.
13:45 September 20
House proceedings resume
13:35 September 20
Rajya Sabha adjourned following uproar in the House over agriculture bills.
13:02 September 20
Congress' Ahmed Patel in Rajya Sabha over Farm bills said: "I'll talk about what BJP's President said about our manifesto. He studied our manifesto & brought out a few points from it to compare with their Bill. Our manifesto is a horse and they have tried to compare it with a donkey."
13:01 September 20
Former PM & JD(S) MP HD Devegowda in Rajya Sabha said: "PM should explain why there's a hurry to pass the bills amid pandemic. He should explain what would farm bills do for farming community in short & long term & how it will help in achieving govt's goal of doubling farmers' income."
12:32 September 20
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in Rajya Sabha said: "Can the Government assure the country that after the passing of the agriculture reform Bills, farmers' income will double and no farmer will commit suicide?.... A special session should be called to discuss these Bills.
11:41 September 20
These Bills should be sent to a select committee so that all stakeholders can be heard...Don't think that the farmers of Punjab are weak said SAD MP Naresh Gujral, in Rajya Sabha, on agriculture Bills.
11:41 September 20
Uproar by Congress MPs in Rajya Sabha after YSRCP MP VV Reddy says, "There is no reason for Congress to oppose these Bills. Congress is a party of middlemen 'dalals'."
Congress MP Anand Sharma objected to the remark and demanded an apology from him. "I want MP Reddy to retract his statement and apologize," he said. Dr L Hanumanthaiah who was on the chair during the uproar said, "nothing will go on record".
11:09 September 20
Will not sign on death warrant of farmers: Partap Singh Bajwa
Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa on Sunday termed agricultural Bills as "ill-conceived" and "ill-timed" and said that his party will not sign on "death warrant" of farmers.
"The Congress party opposes these ill-conceived and ill-timed Bills. Congress rejects these bills. We will not sign on this death warrant of farmers. Farmers in Punjab are protesting. They consider the Bills as an attack on them.
Agriculture and markets are State subjects and these Bills are against the spirit of federal cooperative. We do not want APMC and MSP to be tinkered," Bajwa said in Rajya Sabha while opposing two agriculture bills.
11:05 September 20
Three Opposition leaders--CPI(M)'s KK Ragesh, TMC's Derek O'Brien and DMK's T Siva-- moved an amendment to send the two agricultural Bills to the Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha on Sunday.
This came after Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar moved two agriculture Bills in the Rajya Sabha.
These Bills are -- Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.
Both of them were passed by the Lower House with a voice vote a couple of days back.
10:44 September 20
"Farmers who contribute at least 20% to the total GDP of the country, will be made slaves by these Bill. It will kill the farmers and make them a commodity," said DMK MP TKS Elangovan, in Rajya Sabha, on agriculture Bills.
10:44 September 20
Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav in Rajya Sabha said: "It appears that there is a compulsion that the ruling party doesn't want a debate or discussion on these Bills. They are only rushing through these Bills. You have not even consulted any farmer associations."
10:39 September 20
"PM said that Opposition is misleading the farmers. Centre said double farmer income by 2022. But, at current rates, the farmer income will not be doubled before 2028. Your credibility is low to make promises," said TMC MP Derek O'Brien in Rajya Sabha, on agriculture Bills.
10:19 September 20
BJP MP Bhupender Yadav, in Rajya Sabha, on the agriculture Bills asked the opposition: "why has rural income reduced in the years you (Congress) were in power...Why are you opposing these Bills?"
09:43 September 20
Ex-PM H.D. Deve Gowda takes oath as RS member
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda took oath as a Rajya Sabha member on Sunday. The Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo took oath in Kannada in the presence of Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu shortly after the House convened for the day.
09:38 September 20
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar moves Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, in Rajya Sabha
"The two Bills are historic and will bring a change in the lives of the farmers. The farmers will be able to freely trade their produce anywhere in the country. I want to assure the farmers that these Bills are not related to Minimum Support Price," said Union Agriculture Minister.
09:15 September 20
Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Trivedi said: "Change the exam dates of National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by the national testing agency. 21 Oct, 22 Oct and 23 Oct happens to be Maha Panchami, Maha Shasthi, Maha Saptami which is important not only for West Bengal but for all of us, so kindly postpone the test."
09:13 September 20
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Saroj Pandey said: "Ayushman Bharat Yojana is not fully implemented in Chhattisgarh. The state is very much affected due to the COVID-19. The poor are affected the most by the pandemic. The government should at least implement the yojana so that it will help the poor."
08:48 September 20
BJP MP Vivek Thakur gives zero hour notice in RS
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vivek Thakur has given Zero-Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over "the need for clarity on the uniform implementation of proposed COVID-19 vaccine in all states"
08:47 September 20
BJP MP Saroj Pandey gives zero hour notice in RS
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Saroj Pandey has given Zero-Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over the demand to implement Ayushman Bharat Yojna in the state of Chhattisgarh
06:32 September 20
Congress MP Ripun Bora gives zero hour notice in RS
Congress MP Ripun Bora has given a zero hour notice in the Rajya Sabha over "demand for modification of modalities of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced to combat the economic loss due to COVID-19 pandemic."
Last Updated : Sep 20, 2020, 2:10 PM IST
