The opposition parties led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday joined the ‘farmer’ protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and extended their support to “Kisan Sansad” – a parallel Parliament installed by ‘farmer’ protestors in defiance of the democratically-elected Parliament of India.
According to the reports, members of 14 major opposition parties on Friday decided to visit the protest site at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where ‘farmer’ protestors have been camping since July 22 to mark seven months of protests against the three farm laws passed by the Modi government. The ‘farmer’ protestors have installed their own “Kisan Sansad” (farmers’ parliament) to debate and discuss the farm laws enacted by the Parliament of India.
Strangely, the protestors moved a no-confidence motion against the elected Indian government at their “Kisan Sansad” for refusing to withdraw the three farm laws by the Parliament. The “no-confidence” motion against the Modi government was passed in the presence of lawmakers from the opposition parties on Friday, who cheered for the ‘farmers’, instead of condemning such extra-constitutional attempts to overthrow the government.
“A no-confidence motion was moved against the government. It was based on the fact that the farmers’ demands were not being met despite over eight months of peaceful protests by lakhs of farmers across the country in addition to several anti-farmer measures by the government,” the Samyukt Kisan Morch, the organisers of the Kisan Sansad, said in its statement.
Rahul Gandhi stands in support of the No-confidence motion, demands repel of the law
Speaking at the event, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded that the three controversial laws should be withdrawn immediately.
“Today, all opposition parties together decided to support the farmers and demand the withdrawal of the three farm laws. We want to give our entire support to all the farmers of the country,” the Gandhi-scion claimed.
Before passing a “no-confidence” motion against the Indian government, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a collective of protestors, said they discussed the issues of government’s failure” to support farmers during natural calamities, hike in fuel prices and the recent Pegasus snooping row during the Kisan Sansad on Friday.
They also claimed that nearly 200 farmers have gathered at the Jantar Mantar since July 22 to deliberate on issues concerning the agriculture community.
Further, the SKM said that the Kisan Sansad debated on the Modi government’s “pro-corporate, anti-farmer” laws and its reluctance to accept farmers’ demand for repealing farm laws.
Besides Rahul Gandhi, RJD leader Manoj Jha, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, CPI (M) leader Elamaram Kareem, CPI leader Binoy Viswam, IUML leader Mohammed Bashir and DMK leader Tiruchi Siva were are present at the spot when the ‘farmers’ moved a no-confidence motion against the government. However, the opposition leaders did not speak or sit on the dais of the Kisan Sansad.
Meanwhile, the AAP and TMC leaders did not participate in the opposition solidarity march towards Jantar Mantar. Instead, a three-member delegation of TMC MPs – Prasun Banerjee, Dola Sen and Aparupa Poddar – visited the protest site separately.
‘Agriculture minister’ of the parallel Parliament resigns after the debate at Kisan Sansad
In July, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha had appointed one of its fellow protestors as the agricultural minister during the Kisan Sansad, only to seek his resignation later. During the Kisan Sansad at Jantar Mantar, the Agriculture minister-designate was made to resign symbolically following a debate on the “APMC Bypass Act”.
In an abhorrent move, the protestors not only installed a parallel Parliament but also disrespected the Speakers chair by appointing protestors to such posts during their Kisan Sansad. Moreover, one of the protestors – Ravneet Singh Brar, was appointed as the agriculture minister, who was made to resign after failing to answer the questions of the members, the SKM had said.
The Sansad also passed a unanimous resolution on “adverse experience of the operation of the APMC Bypass Act from June 2020 to January 2021 before the Supreme Court suspended the implementation”. The resolution stated that “farmers need a much higher number of operating mandis and not fewer mandis” and called for repealing of the central acts immediately.
