Is the Government afraid of discussions in Parliament or does it deem parliament to be just a rubber stamp to approve what the Government does, asked opposition leaders after both the Houses passed in the shortest possible time the farm laws (repeal) Bill on November 29.As widely anticipated, there was no discussion in Parliament today on the farmers’ protests, their demands and the government’s about turn on the contested farm laws. The Government had ignored demands for a comprehensive discussion on the farm laws in September last year when the Bills were introduced. It had also refused to refer the Bills to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for scrutiny then. Demand for a Division was turned down in the Rajya Sabha.The Government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said before the session in the morning, was prepared to hold discussion on every issue and answer every question raised.But even before he reassured the nation with a straight face on live TV that the Government was all for discussions in parliament, the Business Advisory Committee of the Lok Sabha had been told that there was no precedent for a discussion on Bills repealing Acts passed. Objections raised by the opposition, which cited precedents, were overruled. So, there was no discussion in the Lok Sabha even as the Speaker kept reassuring the House that discussions on all subjects would be allowed.
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