Updated: September 19, 2020 7:37:12 am
Harsimrat Kaur Badal (right) shares the stage with her husband, Sukhbir Singh Badal (center) and Narendra Modi at a joint election rally. (File photo)
One day later resigns as Union Minister of Food Processing Industries In protest against three agricultural bills that have sparked protests across Punjab, Harsimrat Kaur Badal said on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance on the legislation was too thin and late, and that Akali Dal had repeatedly raised the matter in the cabinet.
Speaking to The Indian Express by phone from Delhi, Harsimrat, the MP from Bathinda, said: “I am grateful that he (the prime minister) did that (given the security). I would have been even more grateful if he had told me this a month and a half ago when I said that the farmers wanted a guarantee. “
Akali Dal Chairman Sukhbir Singh Badal said the party would meet to make a decision on its alliance with the BJP. The Akalis are one of the BJP’s oldest allies.
Sukhbir asked why the prime minister, who tweeted that the bills were not against farmers and would not end the Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime, could not guarantee that the same would be specified in the legislation. The Ferozepur MP, who left Parliament with his wife Harsimrat on Thursday after announcing his surprise resignation, Sukhbir said: “A tweet is not a guarantee. They should have included this in the bill … The prime minister should have given a guarantee on the floor of the House … What’s the problem? ” he said.
Read | PM Targets Oppn, Tells Farmers: New Laws Will Set You Free, Don’t Be Fooled
Sukhbir said they had a copy of the “dissenting note” that Harsimrat had given in writing on the ordinances, which have now been submitted as bills.
“From the first day in the Cabinet, we objected to the ordinances. I said it on the floor of the Chamber. But they told us these are just ordinances and when they introduce the bills, they will take care of all apprehensions. That is why for the last two months we have been trying (to address farmers’ concerns). Farmers said the MSP regime would end. We went to them (the government). They wrote a letter saying that the MSP regime would not end. So we keep going up and down to make sure all farmers’ issues are solved because we are part of the NDA and it is our duty. We make it very clear that if they don’t change (the bills) according to the farmers’ wishes, we won’t support the legislation. “
Sukhbir denied claims that Akali Dal had initially supported the ordinances. “I said we would sacrifice anything for the farmers … if the MSP ends. We keep saying the same thing … The farmers said to put it in the Law and a letter would not be enough … If we had supported the ordinances, we would not have opposed them at the Cabinet meeting.
Editorial: SAD’s calibrated protest against farm laws reflects narrow room for maneuver for regional party
Stating that Akali Dal represents farmers, Sukhbir said: “We know exactly what farmers need, what protection and security they need. And we told them (the Center) exactly that. “
Harsimrat warned that the entry of private actors into the agricultural infrastructure provided by the Bills could cause its “collapse.”
On the Akali Dal-BJP alliance, Sukhbir said: “I feel sad. We always fight Congress. We are among the founding members of the NDA and… our opinions were not taken. That’s what hurts “.
Read | When Harsimrat resigns, BJP’s ties to his oldest ally are strained like never before.
It also continued its attack on Congress, having accused the party in Parliament on Thursday of talking about similar legislation in its manifesto in the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections. “The true face of Congress is now revealed as they did not oppose law projects. They did not vote against the Bills, but withdrew. This means that they support the bills. Second, the same bill was part of the manifesto of Amarinder Singh and Rahul Gandhi, Captain Amarinder Singh implemented it in 2017. How is he opposing these bills now?
Explained: Why Three Farm Bills Pressured Akali Dal to Step Down from the Union Cabinet
The Amarinder government had amended the APMC (Agricultural Products Marketing Committees) Act to allow private mandis to operate in Punjab.
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay up to date with the latest headlines
For the latest news about India, download the Indian Express app.
.
