Opposition to boycott Rajya Sabha till 3 demands are met

New Delhi, 22-Sep-2020

The Opposition will boycott the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha till its three demands are met, Leader of Opposition in Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Tuesday. Speaking after the Zero Hour, Ghulam Nabi Azad said the opposition will boycott the proceedings of the Rajya House and put forth three demands, including the revoking the suspension of eight MPs. �We will boycott Parliament session until the government accepts our three demands,� Congress�s Ghulam Nabi Azad said. Speaking after the Zero Hour, Ghulam Nabi Azad demanded that the government brings a bill which should ensure private players don't procure food grains below the minimum support price (MSP) fixed by the government. Ghulam Nabi Azad also asked the government that the MSP should be based on the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Committee report. Parties which will boycott the Rajya Sabha session include Congress, SP, NCP, DMK, TMC, AAP, RJD, TRS and BSP. As many as eight members of the Rajya Sabha were suspended on Monday after the government brought a motion in this regard which was passed by the House by voice vote. These eight members were suspended for "unruly behaviour" during the passage of the two key farm bills that were passed on Sunday by Rajya Sabha amid chaos. Opposition stages walkout, Chairman asks members to rethink. Opposition parties led by the Congress on Tuesday staged a walkout from Rajya Sabha demanding that the suspension of eight members be revoked. The Congress was the first to walkout from the House along with members of the AAP, TMC and Left parties. The members of all these three parties are among those who have been suspended by the House for the remaining part of the Monsoon session. Some parties like the NCP, SP, Shiv Sena and RJD also staged a walkout later. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu made a fresh appeal to members of all opposition parties to rethink their decision of boycotting the House proceedings and participate in the discussions of the House. "I appeal to all members to rethink their decision of boycott and participate in the discussion," Naidu said in the House. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said: "The government is not hell-bent upon keeping the suspended MPs out of the House," he says. "If they express regret, the government will look into it." Former PM HD Deve Gowda said the government and Opposition should sit together to run the House.