Amid the huge ruckus in parliament, the Rajya Sabha on Sunday passed the contentious Farmers’ and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 by voice vote.
However, farmers in the states of Punjab and Haryana on Sunday held protests on a call given by various organisations against the "anti-farmer" bills introduced by the Union government in Parliament.
The protesting farmers, under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said they imposed a blockade on movement of vehicles, including public transportation, from rural areas to cities and towns as a mark of protest. They also burnt the copies of the farm bills. The farmers' organisations were demanding, among others, continuation of the minimum support price to their produce. Security on the inter-state borders of Delhi was beefed up on Sunday in view of the ongoing protests by farmers in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana against the three Bills related to the agriculture sector, a Delhi Police officer said.
More police personnel have been deployed in the border areas as a precautionary measure, including at Singhu border and GT-Karnal Road. Farmers from nearby states are expected to arrive in Delhi to mark their protest, since different farmer organisations have given calls for protests over the proposed legislations. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 9 am.
With inputs from IANS
