Cong leads oppn walkout in RS over farmers issue

Congress and other opposition party MPs on Wednesday walked out of the Rajya Sabha in protest against the government's alleged anti-farmer policies and for not fulfilling the promise of increasing the minimum support price (MSP) for various crops.

Congress MPs raised slogans after Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar disallowed motions seeking setting aside of the business of the day to discuss the farmers issue.

Dhankar slammed their behaviour, saying the "interest of farmers is not served by sloganeering and (shedding) crocodile tears".

"You are only politicising it. You dont want a solution. Kisan (farmers) is your last priority," he told the agitated Congress and other opposition party MPs.

Amid slogan shouting, the chairman took up Zero Hour mentions.

Initially he did not allow the opposition MPs to raise the issue but later relented and allowed Tiwari to make a brief one minute mention.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said the government has not kept its promise of raising MSP. This has led to farmers again restoring to agitation, he said.

Few others wanted to speak but Dhankhar did not allow it.

Soon after, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) members staged a walkout.

Earlier Dhankhar said he found the five notices served under rule 267 not in order and so they were not acceded to.

The notices called for setting aside business of the day to discuss farmers' issues, the recent cyclone in Tamil Nadu, allegations of corruption and wrongdoing against Adani group and violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh.

Farmers from various regions of western Uttar Pradesh began a march to Delhi on December 2 after gathering at the Delhi-Noida border in recent days to stage a protest.