New Delhi: The Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Union Cabinet on Thursday (September 17) evening in protest against the three agricultural bills presented in both Houses of Parliament. On the sole Shiromani minister Akali Dal in Narendra Modi’s government, her party announced today in Lok Sabha that Harsimrat Kaur will resign from the government.
Harsimrat Kaur Badal took to social media to report that he has resigned from Modi’s cabinet. In a tweet, she said: “I have resigned from the Union Cabinet in protest against ordinances and legislation against farmers. Proud to support farmers like your daughter and sister.”
I have resigned from the Union Cabinet in protest against the anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to support farmers like his daughter and sister.
– Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) September 17, 2020
During a discussion on two of the agricultural bills, the Draft Law on Trade in Agricultural Products and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) and the Farmers Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) on Price Guarantee and Agricultural Services, the president of the SAD , Sukhbir Singh Badal, announced in Lok Sabha that she will leave the government.
The Akali Dal had previously protested against the first of the three bills, which has already been approved by the Lok Sabha.
In his speech on two of the agricultural bills, Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the proposed laws will “destroy” 50 years of hard work done by successive Punjab governments and farmers to build the agricultural sector, and recalled Punjab’s contribution to make India self-sufficient in food grain production as it vehemently opposed the bills.
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“I want to make an announcement that our minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal will resign from the cabinet,” he said in closing remarks, refuting suggestions that his party initially endorsed three ordinances, which these bills seek to replace.
He claimed that Harsimrat Kaur Badal had raised his concerns at the cabinet meeting and also wrote to Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, highlighting “flaws” in the proposed legislation.
Sukhbir Singh Badal accused the congressional party of “double talk” on the issue and said that the abolition of the APMC Act was part of his manifesto in both the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2017 Assembly elections in Punjab. .
The three bills, including the Essential Products (Amendment) Bill, which has been passed by Lok Sabha, will affect 20 lakhs of farmers and 15-20 lakhs of agricultural workers in Punjab alone, said the president of SAD .
The state with 2.5 percent of the country’s land mass produces nearly 50 percent of the food grains for the country, he said, adding that Punjab’s mandi system is the best in the world with a network of 1,900 facilities in 12,000. villages.
In particular, the Shiromani Akali Dal is the BJP’s oldest ally and has supported the saffron festival through thick and thin.
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