Winter Session: Opposition to turn up heat on PM Modi, seeks apology to the nation over farm laws

Opposition parties took strong exception to the wording of the Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021.

New Delhi, First Published Nov 28, 2021, 2:45 PM IST

The Opposition on Sunday made it clear to the government that it will corner Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the repealing of the farm laws and demand that he apologise to the nation in both Houses of Parliament. At the all-party meeting convened on the eve of the Winter session of Parliament, Opposition parties took strong exception to the wording of the Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021.

The Bill, which will be introduced in Parliament by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, states that a small section of farmers was against the farm laws, and this has left the opposition parties fuming. The Bill states that the laws were introduced to bring about reforms in the agricultural sector and that a few farmer groups were unconvinced of their benefits. However, at the meeting convened by Speaker Om Birla, Opposition members made it clear that the government will have to admit its mistakes.

Prime Minister Modi, meanwhile, has made it clear that he is willing to have a discussion over all issues. But the government is not ready to admit that it was a mistake to bring in the farm laws and states that its only objective was agricultural growth. Besides, farm laws, the Opposition also indicated that they will be raising other issues like the Pegasus snooping row, price rise and unemployment. Some Opposition leaders also reportedly raised the issue of the Border Security Force's extended jurisdiction in some states like West Bengal.

Trinamool to boycott Congress meet

Meanwhile, in a sign of growing differences between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress, the latter has made it clear that it will boycott the meeting called by the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the strategy in the House. Justifying its stand, Trinamool Congress said that the Grand Old Party was in no position to claim the leadership of all parties. Relations between the two parties nose-dived especially after interim Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi was reportedly unwilling to meet West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee when she arrived in New Delhi.

At the all-party meeting, Trinamool Congress leaders Sudip Bandopadhyay and Derek O'Brien reportedly sought new legislation on minimum support price and disinvestment of profitable PSUs.

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Last Updated Nov 28, 2021, 2:54 PM IST