'Black day' for parliamentary democracy: Congress

New Delhi: Responding to the ministers' press briefing led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the agri Bills, the Congress called the behaviour of the government as a "black day" in Indias democratic history. Addressing the press conference, Congress leaders K.C. Venugopal ,Randeep Surjewala ,Shaktisinh Gohil, Rajeev Satav, and Partap Singh Bajwa said that the fight for the farmers will go on till its logical end.

Venugopal said "The manner in which the government pushed through the grossly anti-farmer Bills was totally against any and every procedure and tradition laid out in the rulebook." While Gohil alleged that the government is misusing the chair and this is the true "Modi model".

The Congress leaders alleged that "high-handedness" and utter disregard for democratic tradition and norms seems to have become the new normal even in Parliament. "The government bulldozed the anti-farmer Bills at the cost of well established parliamentary procedures, rules and traditions. They were hellbent on helping their crony capitalist friends by going to any extent, including denying discussion and division for passing the Bills in the house," said Surjewala.

Many members had moved notices to refer these bills to the select committee for wider consultation and assessment. However, in an unprecedented and tyrannical way the government turned a deaf ear to our democratic rights, the party alleged.

"The very right to speak on the Bills and seek for a division was completely negated through sheer and unjustifiable arrogance and authoritarianism. Such an unprecedented instance of undemocratic passage of anti-people legislation was never heard of in the history of Indian Parliament. This is naked murder of democracy and parliamentary traditions," it said.

The opposition parties have unanimously decided to move a no-confidence motion against the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman for his "anti-democratic and anti-parliamentary conduct" in the passage of these Bills and the 12 parties will meet on Monday to decide the strategy. "His actions amount to serious breach of the privileges of the members and killing of the very ideals he is supposed to protect under oath," said Venugopal.