AHMEDABAD: The opening day of the Gujarat Assembly’s budget session on February 16 was marked by protests over farm issues, even as the high-stakes election for the Deputy Speaker unfolded inside the House. Amid slogans, desk-thumping, and political theatrics, BJP MLA Purnesh Modi emerged victorious, consolidating the ruling party’s control over Assembly proceedings.
The session began with opposition MLAs from the Aam Aadmi Party, Gopal Italia and Chaitar Vasava, entering the House carrying posters that read “Remove Trade Deal, Save Farmers, ” in protest to the India-US trade agreement.
Their entry immediately signalled that agrarian issues would dominate the first day of the session. Congress MLAs later joined the protests, chanting slogans demanding debt relief for farmers.
The disruption continued even as Governor Acharya Devvrat delivered his 21-minute address, which outlined welfare schemes, agricultural initiatives, infrastructure development, and pro-poor programs, repeatedly emphasising the government’s commitment to “all-round development of the state.”
Speaking to reporters later, Italia said, “This is completely unjustified. India has unilaterally finalised a trade deal entirely in favour of the United States. Agricultural products, milk, soybeans, cotton and other goods exported from India to the US will face no duties on the American side. Meanwhile, imports from the US into India will be subject to an 18% duty. As a result, cheaper American goods will enter India, and domestically manufactured products will struggle to compete in the Indian market. Farmers in this region are already distressed over getting fair prices for their crops. Issues such as electricity, water supply and irrigation are also causing concern. If cheap cotton, soybeans, milk and other products enter India from the US without taxes due to this trade deal, Gujarat’s farmers will suffer heavy losses.”
Once the protests subsided, the House moved to the Deputy Speaker election. Congress had proposed Shailesh Parmar, while the BJP backed Purnesh Modi. Voting gave Modi decisive support. The AAP had opted for NOTA.
With the verdict sealed, Purnesh Modi was officially declared Deputy Speaker. He was escorted to his seat beside Opposition Leader Tushar Chaudhary by Parliamentary Minister Hrishikesh Patel.