SAD stood on right side of the line on farm Bills: Badal
Item
Title
SAD stood on right side of the line on farm Bills: Badal
Description
After Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal, one of the oldest alliance partners of the NDA, stepped down as Minster from the Union Cabinet in protest against the Centre’s three agriculture sector Bills, former Punjab Chief Minister and SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday said the party had tried to act as a bridge to find an amicable way to accommodate farmers’ interests, but when that did not seem possible, and a line had to be drawn, it stood on the right side of the line. Mr. Badal described the party’s decision to pull out of the Union government to fight alongside the farmers as “a proud and landmark moment in the party’s long history of standing up for the principles and of always being on the side of the people”. Wider consultations Mr. Badal said the legislation on the marketing of the farmers’ produce needed wider consultations, especially with the stakeholders, the farmers and with parties like SAD. The party tried to convey the sentiments of the farmers to the Union government and also tried its best to persuade it to refer the legislation to an all-party select committee of MPs for wider consultations with the farmers. “The party tried to act as a bridge to find an amicable way to accommodate the farmers’ interests. But I am glad that when that did not seem possible, it did the only thing that its proud heritage demanded — quit the government. The SAD could never be a party to anything which harms the interests of the farmers.” Mr. Badal said the farmers’ issue relates to the overall national interests. The former Chief Minister said with the resignation of its sole representative in the Union Cabinet, SAD has demonstrated yet again that nothing is dearer to it than its principles and the interests of the people, especially the farmers, the farm labour and other poor classes who are toiling for their rights.
Publisher
The Hindu
Date
2020-09-20
Coverage
CHANDIGARH