Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sep 22: While the prime minister Narendra Modi and several other NDA leaders appreciated the “gesture” of the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh Singh, the Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar slammed him for “not adhering to the rules” while conducting the House on Sunday that led to the passage of two contentious farm bills amidst total pandemonium.
Pawar also had a dig at the Modi government at the centre for the income tax department sending him and some other leaders of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, the ruling coalition of Maharashtra, at the “behest of the election commission.” He told the media persons that the income tax department sent them the notice because some central leaders “love us” more than others. “We are happy that they (the Centre) love us from among all the members,” Pawar commented.
The passage of the farm bills by a voice vote after the deputy chairman, who was in the chair, ignored the demand for voting by some opposition leaders sparked off a ruckus in the Upper House leading to their rushing to the well and subsequent suspension till the end of the current session of eight opposition MPs. They suspended MPs in protest sat on a night-long dharna on the lawns of the Parliament House following which Harivansh Singh as a “gesture” visited the protesters and personally served them tea early on Tuesday morning. Pawar, also a member of the Rajya Sabha, later announced in Mumbai that he was observing a day’s fast in solidarity with the suspended MPs.
Pawar confirmed that along with him his daughter Supriya Sule, MP, besides Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son and Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray have been served notices by the I-T Department seeking clarifications on their polls affidavits filed in the previous elections.
“Yes, I have also received it (the notice). They love some people,” the 79-year old Maratha strongman said with a grin. “I have got the I-T Department notice about my election affidavits. On the directions of the Election Commission of India, the I-T Department has sent the notice on the poll affidavits for 2009, 2014, and 2020. We will reply to the notice,” Pawar said.
Incidentally, the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress are in the MVA government in Maharashtra, and two top leaders each of the two parties in the alliance have been served with the IT notices.
Pawar also made light of reports about moves for imposing President’s rule in Maharashtra. “Is there any reason for (imposing the President’s rule)? Is the President’s rule some joke? he said,” adding the ruling MVA combine enjoyed a clear majority in the Assembly. He also criticised the central government for banning export of onions.
Wondering why was the Modi government in such a tearing hurry to get the two farm bills passed, Pawar said he had never seen Bills being passed in such a manner and questioned the haste, especially when the MPs had questions on the Farm Bills. Pawar bemoaned the conduct of deputy chairman and the Modi government’s decision of “bulldozing” the Opposition in the House.
“Members wanted to ask more questions on the Bills. But, it appears they (the government) did not want any discussion. When the MPs did not get the response, they came to the well of the House,” Pawar said defending the behavior of the opposition members that the NDA leaders described as “unruly and most unfortunate.”
He said the Deputy Chairman of the Upper House had not adhered to the rules and “the Rajya Sabha members were expelled for expressing their opinion,” said the NCP chief.
The Opposition has alleged that the Deputy Chairman Harivansh helped the government rush the Bills through the Upper House despite lacking the numbers and rejecting the Opposition parties’ demands for detailed discussions on the Farm Bills.
The MPs were suspended for the remaining part of the monsoon session over their “misbehavior” during the passage of the farm bills on Sunday. The 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 – were cleared by voice vote in Parliament. The Opposition was demanding that these bills should be sent to a select committee.
Three of the eight suspended MPs belong to the Congress. The party, along with a few others, has said that they would boycott the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha till the time the MPs’ suspension is revoked. The House presiding officer has convened a meeting of the opposition leaders to sort out the disputes.
The Congress has also said it would hit the streets across the country against the government for passing “anti-farmer and anti-poor” bills in Parliament. The party would also launch a campaign to collect two crore signatures from protesting farmers against the proposed legislations, a party spokesman said.
