Key points :
- Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Modi cabinet on thursday protesting the agricultural ordinances introduced by the Centre
- Kaur wrote a four-page resignation letter to the Prime Minister expressing concern regarding the farmers not being onboard with the bills
- Akali Dal Chief and MP Sukhbir Singh Dal said the bills would “destroy” farmers
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal stepped down from the position of Union Minister of Food Processing Industries in protest over the farm bills. The farm bills have sparked strong protests by farmers in Punjab and Haryana as farmers said that the bills would dismantle the assured minimum selling price (MSP) system thereby destroying their livelihoods.
Harsimrat Kaur Badal tweeted on Thursday, “I have resigned from Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter and sister.”
I have resigned from Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter & sister.
— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) September 17, 2020
On Thursday, the Lok Sabha passed the farm bills which are meant to deregulate the sale of farm produce despite statewide farmer protests in Punjab.
The Centre on Monday had announced in Parliament the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, and the Essentials Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to replace the existing ordinances.
Akali Dal Chief and MP from Jalalabad, Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the husband of the former Union minister said the proposed laws would “destroy” the 50 years of hard work done by successive Punjab governments to build the farm sector in his speech during a discussion on two of the farm bills.
Harsimrat and her husband Sukhbir are the only two Lok Sabha MPs from the Akali Dal.
In her four-page resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Kaur expressed concern over the Centre not getting the farming community onboard despite her persistent pleas and continued efforts from her party to ensure the same.
She further asserted that every member of SAD is a farmer and she is only continuing their age-old tradition of supporting farmers’ interests.
Reacting to the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh termed Badal’s resignation from the Modi cabinet nothing more than a gimmick to fool the farmers.
