This bills were passed amid most of the opposition including the Congress, Left parties, the TMC, the Samajwadi Party and the NCP decided to boycott House proceedings in protest against the suspension of eight MPs for the remainder of the session for unruly behaviour.

Only members from the ruling BJP and its ally JD-U and those of parties such as AIADMK, BJD, YSR-Congress and TDP, which have been extending support to the Modi government on various issues, participated in the debates on the bills.

In most bills, the members participation was sparse and the minister’s reply brief.

The Upper House took up government legislative business after nearly an hour of discussion over the conduct of opposition MPs during the passage of two agriculture reform bills on Sunday, with Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu saying the suspension could be revoked if the members expressed regret over their action.

The Oppositon decided to boycott the proceedings of Rajya Sabha till three key demands as well as requests of revoking of the suspension of eight members, are met. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had declared in the upper house on Tuesday as high drama continued for the third straight day.

The suspended members continued their sit-in on the lawns of the parliament complex till about 11:30 AM after spending the night there in protest. They were suspended over Sunday’s unprecedented chaos and “unruly behaviour” in the Rajya Sabha when two controversial farm bills were passed.

Expressing solidarity to the protesting parties, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar announced that he would observe a day-long fast on Tuesday. He criticised the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chaiperson’s conduct and the Modi government’s decision to thwart the Opposition in the House.

The NCP chief further said that the eight MPs were expelled for voicing their opinion and added that the Deputy Chairman did not give priority to rules of the House.

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Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad clarified that Mr. Gandhi never said those remarks. He added that in the meeting he stated that some colleagues outside the CWC were making such claim and he would resign if they could prove it.Congress leader who had expressed displeasure on the same withdrew his statement following clarification from Rahul.

Meanwhile, Senior leader Ahmed Patel urged former party chief Rahul Gandhi to take over as Congress President. He was unanimously backed by other members of the CWC.

The CWC met virtually on Monday to discuss the leadership issue after its interim chief Sonia Gandhi offered to step down and asked the party to find a permanent head.

Unlike other virtual CWC meetings, the Congress has taken extra precaution and changed from Zoom to WebEx application as this application has more restrictive features to record the proceedings.

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