Parliament:consensus on 15-hour discussion over farmers' issue

The government and the Opposition reached a consensus to allocate fourteen-and-a-half hours to discuss the Motion of Thanks during which parties could raise their issues on the farmers' protest. The announcement was made by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi in the Rajya Sabha after agreeing to the Opposition's demand."Since the government has accepted this proposal, we are ready for a discussion," said Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress. Earlier, 10 hours were alloted for the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's address.

However, there will be no Question hour for three days and Zero Hour for two days. Besides, private members' bills will not be taken up on Friday to accommodate the discussion on farmers, who have been protesting near the borders of Delhi over three contentious farm laws for over two months.

 But the truce was short-lived as the upper house erupted in protests soon after Chairman Venkaiah Naidu announced that the discussion would take place after the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address to the joint sitting last Friday.Three members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) kept shouting slogans until they were ordered to leave the House for the day. The disruptions forced the first adjournment of the day.