What happened during the last three days has made them convinced that Mdi government is determined to circumvent the proceedings of the parliament. Their suspicions gained strength due to one more reason; while the opposition members were suspended and the house was yet to take a formal decision on the issues raised them, the government managed to get at least six bills passed by the parliament, of these three the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, the Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and amendments to essential commodities law were quite important. These three bills were adopted without any discussion. The opposition members feel since the government has its own secret design, then in that situation there is no need for holding the proper session of the house.

In fact members are not surprised at what happened on Saturday. They point out that if the government was really interested in having a discussion on the agriculture bill, it could have refrained from creating the hostile situation. The members have one common allegation that since the government did not intend to incorporate the provision of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in the Act, which is why it created this scene. Once the scene was created taking advantage of the tension in the house it got the three bills adopted. Now getting the approval of the President is mere formality. The Modi government has already inflicted massive damage to the farmers. This cannot be rectified by any means.

The audacity of the Modi government could be understood from the simple fact that one of its minister sought an apology from the suspended 8 MPs. For Modi serving the interest of his benefactors is so valuable that he is least bothered of the damage the image and sanctity of parliament suffered due to his intransigent attitude. The angst of the members got reflected in the remark of one of the protesting MPs who was on night long dharna, that Harivansh’s, dy chairman of Rajya Sabha, appearance with a posse of cameramen at the dharna place with morning tea looked like a gimmick. When Harivansh arrived, a senior MP told on his face told him that he was still in the wrong in what he did. He was told that he was the one who broke the rules.

Meanwhile the opposition received a major moral boost with NCP chief Sharad Pawar observing a day-long fast on Tuesday to protest the suspension of eight Rajya Sabha members of the Upper House. Pawar, a Rajya Sabha member, also bemoaned the conduct of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Venkaiah Naidu and the Modi government's decision of "bulldozing" the Opposition in the House.

As per the parliamentary procedure after the debate the bill is placed before house for a division. But he did not. This is a mockery of Parliament. The government has a majority that does not mean it would gag the opposition. He would have not lost any thing if he had followed the parliamentary practices. Yet another issue that has caused much consternation in the opposition parties has been refusal of the government to send any bill to any of the parliamentary committees. It is beyond comprehension why Modi has been denying the committees to perform their task and role.

The opposition has decided to boycott the proceedings of the House till the suspension of eight members was revoked. Modi must have felt happy at this stand of the opposition parties. This would allow him the time and space to get his wishes fulfilled. The ill intentions of the Modi government becomes clears at the government announcing the MSP just after the sordid incident that rocked the house. The Modi government could have announced this in the midst of the debate. It is also beyond comprehension why the government did not incorporate in the bill that the private players cannot procure food grains below the minimum support price (MSP) fixed by the government.

The entire episode smacks of a deep conspiracy. Already the farmers in Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka and other states have resorted to democratic protest, the sources point out that the bills are supposed to help the big corporate house in joining the trade of export of food produce. Scholars underline that the two farm bills were meant to transform Indian agriculture to be export oriented. The government is looking towards its foreign friends to amend the FTA engagements as well as the WTO, to help Modi’s friend to export. Modi is least bothered of domestic market which will remain protected behind high tariffs.

It is also pointed out that the support price which was offered on Sunday does not address the structural shift in its agricultural policy which would have a significant impact on the farmers’ livelihood and food security of the country. The farmers are angry with the government for allowing the private players to dictate and ruin their lives. Under the new laws the mandis would become non-existent. Till now the farmers would go to the mandis and sale their products. In future the private players would descend in the villages and pay according to their desire and convenience. They will not be under any obligation to pay government price. What is most devastating in his pursuit to encourage capitalist economy, Modi has finished the market economy.

The three Acts will completely pauperise the farmers. It will also affect the big farmers. The poor peasants will sale their produce at throw away prices and these will be kept in the go downs by the private players. This will encourage hoarding. The poor peasant would have to purchase his own food products at exorbitant prices for his personal use and consumption. The demand of the opposition must be looked at seriously. They want the farm bill to be taken back and re written in the greater interest of the farmers.

The opposition has lodged its complaint with the President and requested him not to assent these bills, as they were passed in a “tyrannical manner unknown to our Constitution”, but the chances are not so bright. Nevertheless one hopes that he will ensure that these black bills do not become Laws and that such pernicious and despicable events do not sully the fair name of proud Indian democracy. The way the Modi government has been misusing the forum of parliament, it should make the people worry.

Modi is already determined to denigrate the prestige of the house. How could a government have seven bills passed in three and a half hours in Rajya Sabha. It obviously implied that the members are denied of speaking out their views before the house. The reports point out that the situation prevailing for three has turned the member skeptic. Even those sitting in the house are unwilling to participate in the debate. In most debates, members' participation was sparse and minister's reply brief. Modi must feel proud for today was the most productive day for him. Rajya Sabha on Tuesday in a matter of three and half hours passed seven key bills including one that removes cereals, pulses and onion from the essential commodities list and another that abolishes penalty for certain offences by companies.

Modi has been playing the dangerous game of destroying the public procurement system. The agriculture economy has been surviving on it. The fact is the farm bills had nothing to do with the mandi system and the minimum support price. Modi ought to reply why he did not bring in a legal provision for MSP and make a commitment that public procurement will not be reduced. Like the previous jumlas, this is yet another jumla of Modi.

This time his government claims that these reforms will change the face of agriculture in two years. It is worth mentioning that Adani Agri Logistics is the leading player in the storage of grains with significant presence in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Meanwhile the report of the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices exposes the government’s lie. The report shows that the government has taken the input cost of wheat in 2020-21 and 2021-22 as same, Rs 960 per quintal. As if the costs of land, diesel, fertiliser and labour have not increased in one year! (IPA Service)