Govt. ready to discuss farm laws separately in LS — Narendra Tomar

New Delhi, Feb. 5 (IANS): As the deadlock in the Lok Sabha continued for the 4th straight day with the Opposition protesting against the three contentious farm laws, Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar said the issue will be resolved as the government is ready to hold a separate discussion on the matter in the House.

The Minister said there has been a compromise with the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and its proceedings are now running smoothly. “I am confident that a similar understanding will be developed for the Lok Sabha too.”

He said that the government is also ready to hold discussions with farmers to resolve their issues related to the three farm laws.

The Minister, while talking to the media inside the Parliament premises, said the government is keen to break the deadlock both in the House and the Delhi borders where thousands of farmers are protesting against these laws.

His remarks came after the Lower House witnessed pandemonium for the fourth straight day on Friday over the three contentious farm laws. The entire opposition was dissatisfied with the assurances from the government regarding the farmers agitation.

Over 12 opposition parties since the day after the Budget presentation have been creating a ruckus in the House seeking an open discussion on the three farm laws that were enacted in September last year. The Congress, DMK, NCP, CPI(M), CPI, SP, BSP, VCK, YSRCP, AAP and RSP are among those parties protesting against the government.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) former allies Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena are also playing a major role in the protest over the farm laws.

The opposition parties are seeking a withdrawal of these laws and term them as “black laws” and “anti-farmer”.

The House was adjourned for the day after two brief sittings on the same issue — the first one till 6 p.m. after 16 minutes proceedings that started at 4 p.m., and the second till Monday 4 p.m.

The opposition parties held a separate meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday evening requesting him to hold a detailed discussion on the farm laws issue, avoiding other House business, considering the plight of thousands of farmers who are staging an agitation at different borders of the national capital since November 26 demanding repeal of these laws.