Akali Dal MP and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has resigned from the Centre’s Narendra Modi government in protest against what she said were anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Badal said that she was ‘proud to stand with farmers’ in their protest against the government.
Her tweet read, “I have resigned from Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter & 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
Badal held the portfolio of Food Processing Industries in the central government.
Earlier Badal’s husband, Sukhbir Singh Badal, had said in the parliament that his party opposed the Bills.
ਸ਼੍ਰੋਮਣੀ ਅਕਾਲੀ ਦਲ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਤਿੰਨਾਂ ਖੇਤੀ ਆਰਡੀਨੈਂਸਾਂ ਦਾ ਵਿਰੋਧ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।@Akali_Dal_ opposes all the three agriculture #ordinances of the Central Government.#ParliamentSession pic.twitter.com/ioiKGQk9jM
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) September 17, 2020
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have been agitating against three ordinances promulgated by the Modi government on 5 June. The government has already introduced them as bills in the parliament after the Monsoon session began. One of them has been passed by the Lok Sabha. The government hopes to get the remaining two passed without much trouble since the BJP enjoys an absolute majority in the Lower House of the parliament.
Protesting farmers have alleged that the passing of these Bills will make the minimum support price defunct and they will have to live at the mercy of big corporates.