DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today said the Congress party had proved that it was hand in glove with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by refusing to raise the voice of the farmers in parliament and facilitating the government when needed instead of forcing discussion on the agriculture laws. In a statement here, Harsimrat Badal said it was shocking that the Congress party held mock protests in favour of farmers outside parliament but refused to take up the issue inside the House. "The Congress party stuck to its stand to protest on an everyday basis inside parliament to force a discussion on the Pegasus spyware issue but refused to take a similar stand on the farm laws". She said the Congress party's collusion with the BJP could also be seen from the fact that even when the government solicited its cooperation to get the 127th Amendment passed the former agreed unconditionally without demanding that the issue of farm laws be discussed first. "Even yesterday the chair allowed discussion on the farm laws in the Rajya Sabha but the Congress members started protesting on an issue of procedure instead of using the platform to highlight the anti-farmer policies of the NDA government". She said Congressmen played into the hands of the government by forcing adjournment of the House and its end today which suited the BJP. Badal said the Congress party had been following this game plan ever since the farm bills were put up for approval in parliament. She said Rahul Gandhi absented himself from the Lok Sabha by travelling out of the country. The Bathinda MP said a large number of Congress MPs in the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling party was on a weak wicket, absented themselves deliberately when the bills were put up there for voting and allowed their easy passage. (editor@dailyworld.in)