HD Deve Gowda urges govt, Opposition to resolve issues to help run Rajya Sabha

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Tuesday urged the government and the Opposition to arrive at an understanding so that the Rajya Sabha proceedings can continue.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the Janata Dal (Secular) MP from Karnataka said, "The government should come to an understanding. Both the Opposition and the government should sit together to help run the House. Democracy should work with cooperation."

The former Prime Minister's statement comes at a time when the Opposition staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha and have threatened to boycott the session till their demands are met.

Apart from Congress, which demanded the revocation of suspension of eight MPs and the government to bring a Bill which guarantees that the farmers' produce cannot be procured at a price lower than MSP by the private players.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav also said that his party will boycott the entire session.

"I am a senior Member of Parliament, I have apologised for what happened in the House, but I didn't get any response. I found this very insulting. My party has decided to boycott the entire session," Yadav told ANI here.

Similarly, suspended Congress MP Syed Nasir Hussain told ANI that they had not just demanded revocation of the suspension but also voting to take place properly on the farm Bills.

"We wanted not just the suspension to be revoked but at the same time, we wanted the farm Bills to be taken back and proper voting to happen. But nothing of that sort was going to happen as the Chairman wasn't ready to listen to anyone," Hussain said.

"So all the Opposition parties decided to boycott the rest of the session. They appealed to all the people who were sitting at the dharna to finish it and join them in boycotting the rest of the session. That is how we have ended this dharna," he added.

Eight MPs from the Upper House were suspended by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venakaiah Naidu on Monday over the ruckus created on Sunday while discussions were underway on the agriculture reform bills.

He also urged the Opposition leaders who had staged a walkout to "rethink, introspect, and return to the House to take part in discussions."

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad had raised the demand for the revocation of their suspension today. 

-ANI

Also Read: Opposition members stage walkout from Rajya Sabha, protest in Parliament premises