Opposition walks out of Rajya Sabha over Minister’s reply

New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) The entire Opposition walked out of the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday amid Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh’s reply on the discussion on the agrarian crisis and farmers’ suicide in the country, saying they were not satisfied.

The Opposition accused the Minister of just giving out statistics that were already in the public domain and skirting the main issue.

The Rajya Sabha was discussing the agrarian crisis and farmer distress in the country since Tuesday.

Even Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien asked Radha Mohan Singh several times during his long reply — that went on for over an hour — to conclude as the upper house had to take up other listed business.

However, the Minister did not pay heed to the Chair’s repeated reminders and warning bells and continued with his reply.

"How much more time (do) you want to take? …please conclude," Kurien repeatedly told the Minister.

The Opposition walked out in protest even as the Minister continued with his reply.

At the end of the Minister’s reply, Congress member Digvijaya Singh, who had initiated the short discussion on the agrarian crisis, dared Radha Mohan Singh to go and give the same speech in front of the farmers protesting at Jantar Mantar here.