Harsimrat Kaur's gloves off as SAD quits NDA; slams BJP & invokes 'Vajpayee-Badal sahab'

After the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had pulled out of the coalition with National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the farm reforms bill row, Former Union Minister and SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal slammed the NDA for taking a rigid stand on the 'pain and protest of 3 crores Punjabis'. She took to Twitter to express her disappointment after the BJP-led NDA and the SAD had a disagreement over the farm reform bills which have now been passed in both houses of Parliament pending President's assent.

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SAD quits NDA after core committee meet

The SAD, one of the oldest allies of the BJP, quit the NDA alliance on Saturday after a three-hour-long core committee meeting on Saturday and a unanimous consensus to pull out of the coalition. Harsimrat Kaur had resigned from the post of the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries after the farm bills were passed in Lok Sabha. The party leadership had stated that it would decide upon the fate of the alliance after the outcome of Rajya Sabha session on the farm bills. However, the bills were passed in the Rajya Sabha too with a voice vote amid the chaos that witnessed 8 Opposition MPs being suspended for a week, on September 20.

What are Farm bills?

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. On the other hand, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services.

The Opposition has stood against the bill vociferously by contending that the bills will remove the concept of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the farm produce.

Centre's assurances on Farm Bills

The Centre has reiterated on multiple occasions that the MSP mechanism will continue to exist and will not be impacted; moreover, Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar has also assured that the that these new legislations would not encroach upon the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Acts of the states. 

These two bills will ensure that farmers get better prices for their produce. They will not be subject to the regulations of Mandis and they will be free to sell their produce to anyone. They will also not have to pay any taxes," Tomar said.

"These bills will increase competition and promote private investment which will help in the development of farm infrastructure and generate employment," Tomar added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said on multiple occasions that vested interests are misleading the farmers over the bills as the bills do not change anything in the previous laws, but only add the option of selling the produce outside without being dependant on the Mandis or at the mercy of the middlemen.

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