Congress walks out of LS over farmers' plight

The Congress on Friday walked out of the Lok Sabha, accusing the government of not taking adequate steps to address the concerns of farmers.

The party also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over the issue.

"Be it Madhya Pradesh or Maharashtra, farmers across the country are on the streets. The issue was discussed in the House but we didn't get a response from the Prime Minister," Congress member Deepender Singh Hooda said during Zero Hour.

He said that during the discussion the Centre did not make it clear whether it intended to implement recommendations made by the M.S. Swaminathan Commission or not.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party had promised in its election campaign of 2014 to implement the Commission's recommendations.

"The ruling side always blames the UPA for the plight of farmers but what we could not do in last 60 years the NDA government did in last three years in the form of burdening the farmers' with loans," he said.

"The Prime Minister should have answered these. As he did not, we are walking out," he added. Then the Congress members trooped out of the House.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananthkumar countered the accusations, saying the opposition party was "shedding crocodile tears".

Hitting out at the opposition leaders for their absence from the Lok Sabha during a debate on the agrarian crisis on Wednesday, he said: "The Congress has nothing to do with farmers plight. They are shedding crocodile tears."

On Wednesday, the discussion was held till 10 p.m. But there were only two Congress members in the House, he said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed Hooda to speak after the Congress created a ruckus during the entire Question Hour on Friday.

After the House met, Congress members demanded Modi's response on the agrarian crisis but Mahajan did not allow them. Then the Congress members rushed towards the Speaker's podium and started sloganeering.

Mahajan then conducted the Question Hour amid the slogan shouting. The House took up matters of public importance after the Congress walkout.

--IANS

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