‘Shameful day in Parliament history’: Prasad slams opposition leaders for RS ruckus

New Delhi, Sep 21: The government on Monday accused opposition leaders of irresponsible conduct in the Rajya Sabha during the passage of the farm bills and said they violated rules by not vacating the House despite being suspended.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the conduct of opposition leaders in the Upper House of Parliament on Sunday was "shameful" and "irresponsible".

He was addressing a press conference with fellow Union ministers Prahlad Joshi and Piyush Goyal on the pandemonium in the Upper House on Sunday and Monday.

Opposition Rajya Sabha members despite being suspended did not leave the House on Monday which was an open violation of the rules, Prasad said.

"We had a clear majority in Rajya Sabha on farm bills," he said, adding that 110 members supported the bills and a little over 70 opposed it.

On the issue of certain opposition members standing on the table in the Upper House, he said people of Bihar are pained at the treatment given in Rajya Sabha to its Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Sunday.

Citing Congress'' election manifesto and statements by chief ministers of the states ruled by it, he accused the opposition party of double standards on issues including contract farming and agriculture produce marketing committees.