Cong MP Manish Tewari gives adjournment motion in LS

New Delhi, Feb 4 Congress MP Manish Tewari on Thursday gave adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha over the three contentious farm laws.

In the notice, he said: "I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance, namely: The three farm laws, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services) Act, 2020 pushed through by Parliament, have the potential to subjugate India's farmers to a handful of crony capitalists."

He said in the notice that thousands of farmers have been protesting against the laws since August last year and more than 130 farmers have (till January 20) lost their lives during the protests, and multiple rounds of negotiations have failed. There is enough ground for the government to set these laws completely aside for not following the established procedure, stepping over the power of states and the government itself agreeing, however reluctantly, to keep them in abeyance for 18 months.

The leader of the Congress party in the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday requested the Speaker amid uproar that the government should first discuss the farmers' issue on priority.

Referring to similar protest in the Rajya Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said both government and opposition parties in a meeting decided earlier in the day to let the House function by allowing 15 hours discussion on motion of thanks to President's address, which is a tradition, and then take farmers's issue.

"I am not aware why the opposition changed its strategy," Joshi said.

The opposition has been raising voice in support of the farmers protesting on various Delhi borders since November 26 seeking withdrawal of the farm laws.

( With inputs from IANS )