What Congress demanded when farm laws were being repealed?

New Delhi, Nov 29: In what could be considered as the fastest-repeal of laws in the recent years, Lok Sabha on Monday passed Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021. After Speaker Om Birla adjourned the house for an hour following the sloganeering by the Opposition parties, the discussion started at 12:06 pm and the bill was passed at 12.10 pm as per reports.

Why there was a Ruckus?

The farm laws' repeal bill was passed in just about four minutes which triggered protests from Congress and other opposition parties. The grand old party wanted to have a discussion on the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 while the Centre was not interested in having discussions on the bill.

The Congress and opposition parties wanted to discuss the death of 700+ farmers, died during the protests in the last one years. The party's General Secretary slammed the government on Twitter and wrote, "3 Anti-Agriculture Laws were passed in Parliament without discussion & have been repealed without discussion. A debate would make the PM & BJP answerable for... • Conspiracy to sell the farming sector at the altar of Crony Friends; • Sacrifice of 700 farmers; • Not giving MSP. [sic]"

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We want that there should be a discussion on the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021. But with the passing of this Bill in Lok Sabha in a haste, they (govt) just want to prove that they are in the favour of farmers."

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said that the government was scared of holding discussion. He claimed, "Earlier, we had said that the govt will have to withdraw the farm laws, and today these laws were repealed. It is unfortunate that the farm laws were repealed without discussion. This government is scared of holding a discussion,"

He added, "The fact is that the Central government could not face the strength of the Indian people represented by farmers in this case. The upcoming State elections must have also played on their mind: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Parliament passing Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021."

TMC spokesperson Derek O'Brien accused the BJP government of passing the contentious farm bills with the participation of just six MPs while repealing those laws without a debate. He tweeted, "Modi I (2014-19): Repealing & Amending Bill 2017 was one instance. Six MPs participated in discussion. A fig leaf of democracy then. Some shame. Modi II (2019-today): #FarmLaws Repeal Bill 2021 taken up and passed. NO debate allowed. Not even a fig leaf of democracy. SHAMELESS. [sic]"

The bill will be tabled at Rajya Sabha at 2 pm.

"During the passing of the farm bills, there was enough discussion. Today, the entire Opposition was demanding to repeal the laws. But when we went to repeal the laws the Opposition created ruckus, I ask the Opposition what is their intention?," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said.