Urges Prez not to give his assent to Bills
As part of their strategy to keep the heat on the Government over the farm sector Bills, Opposition parties on Wednesday requested President Ram Nath Kovind not to give his assent to the contentious legislations and conveyed to him that their passage in the Rajya Sabha was “unconstitutional”.
The Opposition leaders represented by Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad met the President to submit a memorandum on behalf of MPs who boycotted the last three days of the Monsoon Session.
The Government should have consulted all parties, farmer leaders before bringing the farm Bills, Azad said after meeting the President. The Bills are now pending for the President’s approval.
It was earlier decided that leaders of five Opposition parties — Congress, TMC, Samajwadi Party, TRS and DMK — will meet the President to raise the issue but due to Covid-19 safety protocols the parties decided to submit the memorandum through Azad.
“The Constitution was undermined ...We have given a representation to the President that the farm Bills have been passed unconstitutionally and he should return these Bills,” Azad said briefing the media.
The memorandum has also informed the President questioning the conduct of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh accusing him of favouring the Government and allowing the passage of the controversial Bills without following the due process. Harivansh, on his part, has already written to the President about the “unruly” behaviour of eight Parliamentarians in the Upper House.
The Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, have been passed by both Houses and await presidential assent.
The Opposition has launched a staunch protest against passage of two agricultural Bills - the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Farming Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 - by voice vote in Parliament on Sunday.
“There was no division of votes and no voice voting. The Constitution was undermined in the temple of democracy. We have given a representation to the President that the farm Bills have been passed unconstitutionally and he should return these Bills,” said Azad briefing the media after he met the President.
Opposition leaders had boycotted Parliament in protest over the three Bills related to the agriculture sector and the suspension of eight MPs over chaos and “unruly behaviour” in the Rajya Sabha on Sunday when two of the three Bills were passed.