New Delhi: A day after he asked Union minister for agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan why promises made to farmers were not fulfilled and urged the Centre to hold talks, Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday (December 4) accused the Opposition of shedding “crocodile tears” amid demands for a discussion on minimum support price (MSP) in the Upper House.
Farmers have renewed their “Delhi Chalo” call from December 6, as their demands including a legal guarantee for MSP have not been met. When the House proceedings began on Wednesday, Opposition members submitted five notices under Rule 267 demanding a suspension of business to hold a discussion on farmers’ issues among others – that were disallowed.
As Opposition benches raised slogans saying “Kisan Virodhi Ye Sarkar (This government is anti-farmer),” Dhankhar said that farmers’ interests cannot be protected by “sloganeering” or “crocodile tears”.
“Interests of the farmers is not served by sloganeering or crocodile tears. Maintain decorum. You are only politicising it. You don’t want a solution. Farmers are your last priority,” said Dhankhar.
Dhankhar added that in the last week when the House did not function, several adjournment notices had been given but “not one on farmers.”
“Now crocodile tears?” he asked.
Dhankhar’s comments come just a day after he urged the Centre to speak to the protesting farmers, urging Union minister Chouhan directly while speaking at a ceremony to mark the centenary of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT) in Mumbai.
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“I fail to understand why we cannot work out a formula in consultation with economists and think-tanks that will reward our farmers. Instead of rewards, we are not giving what is due to farmers. We are not giving what has been promised. I cannot understand, why aren’t talks being held with farmers? The prime minister has given this message to the world that problems can be resolved through talks. Talks should be held with farmers and we should all have the knowledge about whether any promise was made to the farmers? Honourable agriculture minister, did the minister before you make any written promise? And if a promise was made, then what happened to it?” Dhankhar said at the event where Chouhan was also present on stage with him.
“Agriculture minister sir, every moment is important for you. I urge you, and as the person holding the second-highest constitutional position in India, I request you to please tell me, was a promise made to the farmer? And why has the promise not been fulfilled? What are we doing to fulfil the promise? There was an agitation last year, and there year also there is an agitation… time is passing, but we are doing nothing,” Dhankhar added.
Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha said that they had been inspired by the vice president’s words on farmers the day before.
Amid sloganeering from Opposition benches, Dhankhar allowed Congress’ deputy leader in the House, Pramod Tiwari to speak.
“Promises made to farmers on increasing MSP have not been fulfilled. This government is an enemy of the government. The government should give them MSP. Our voice is being bolstered by those who are sitting on high constitutional posts. We thank you for raising our voice. You must direct the government to fulfil its promises on increasing MSP,” said Tiwari.
As Opposition members were seen continuing to demand that Dhankhar give directions to the government, the vice president said that Tiwari had used the occasion given to him to speak as a strategy. Opposition members then staged a walkout, as their demands on letting them speak on farmers’ issues were not heeded to.
