NEW DELHI : Congress has committed itself in favour of BJP government’s hurried passage of the anti-farmer bills. In the Parliament, the Congress makes no attempt at all to unify Opposition parties against the contentious bills.
The Left parties issued notice seeking a scrutiny by Rajya Sabha’s Select Committee for all three farm bills tabled by the government. The centre is trying its level best to have the bills passed in the Upper House on Sunday. Even so, if Opposition parties were to stand united, the government will sweat much to clear the bills in their present form.
However, despite being the lead party in the Opposition, Congress not just refuses to unite the camp. In fact, the party plans to ease matters for the government, by keeping a maximum number of its leaders out of House proceedings today. A total of 25 Congressmen, including party heavyweights like P Chidhambaram will remain absent at Rajya Sabha proceedings during the day.
On Friday, the government passed its contentious bills by voice vote in the Lok Sabha. At that time, Congress neither suggested amends nor pressed for ballot voting for an outcome. Unlike at Lok Sabha, the government lacks numerical advantage in Rajya Sabha - a circumstance conducive for opposition parties to insist review of bills, if all stand united.
DAMK, TMC, SP, RJD and AAP have notified their opposition to the bills. The government is trying to woo BJD, TRS and YSR Congress in its favour for which, union ministers are calling up these party MPs directly.
Raising one’s opposition to the anti-farmer bills is a historic necessity, said CPI(M)’s Rajya Sabha leader MP Elamaram Kareem.
