Long live ‘debate-less’ parliamentary democracy: Chidambaram’s dig at govt

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram took a dig at the government on Tuesday over the repeal of the farm laws without a debate in Parliament, saying “long live debate-less parliamentary democracy”. Parliament on Monday passed the bill to repeal the three contentious agricultural laws at the centre of protests by farmers for over a year with the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha giving their approval in quick succession amid an uproar on the first day of the Winter session without any discussion.

In a tweet, Chidambaram said that ahead of the Parliament session, the prime minister offered to debate “any issue”, and on the first day and on the first item of business, the farm bills were repealed without a debate.

“The Agriculture Minister’s logic to deny a debate was baffling: he said ‘when the Government and the Opposition agree there is no need for a debate’!” the former Union minister said.

The farm bills were passed without a debate when the two sides did not agree and they were repealed without a debate when the two sides agreed, Chidambaram said, adding that, “whichever way, there was no debate”.

“Long live debate-less Parliamentary democracy!” he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that repealing the three farm laws without a debate in Parliament shows that the government is “terrified” and knows that it has done something wrong.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced on November 19 that the three farm legislations would be repealed.

The three laws were Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.