Sanjay Raut calls for special session of Parliament to discuss agriculture sector reform Bills
Sep 20, 2020
New Delhi [India], September 20 : Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said in Rajya Sabha that a special session of Parliament should be called to discuss agriculture sector reform Bills.
"You are saying it is in the interest of the people. Can the government assure the country that after the passing of the agriculture reform Bills, farmers' income will double and no farmer will commit suicide?.... A special session should be called to discuss these Bills," Raut said during a discussion on two agriculture Bills in the Upper House.
"Why farmers are protesting in Punjab and Haryana if it is for their interest?" he added.
Taking a dig at the Centre over Lok Sabha MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigning from the Cabinet, Shiv Sena MP said, "The Prime Minister has said that the government is not ending the MSP system. It is just a rumour. So, did a Union Minister resign on the basis of a rumour? Government is giving markets to private companies."
On September 17, Harsimrat had resigned from the Union Cabinet, displaying her opposition to the three Bills.
Earlier today, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar moved two agriculture Bills in the Upper House.
These Bills are -- Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. Both of them were passed by the Lower House with a voice vote a couple of days back.
The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 permits the electronic trading of farmers' produce and allows the setting up transaction platforms for facilitating direct online buying and selling of farm products.
The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 provides for a farming agreement prior to the production or rearing of any farm produce. A guaranteed price to be paid for the purchase of farming produce will be mentioned in such agreements.
