Farmers Movement Archive

Harsimrat Kaur quits Cabinet in protest against two agri Bills

Terming the two agriculture marketing reform Bills passed by the Lok Sabha on Thursday as “anti-farmer” legislation, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP and Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Union Cabinet in protest. The SAD is one of the oldest allies of the BJP, and Ms. Badal was its sole representative in the Narendra Modi government. Ms. Badal tweeted that she had resigned “in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter and sister”. In a four-page letter of resignation to the Prime Minister, she wrote, “My decision symbolises my party’s vision, its glorious legacy and its commitment to go to any extent to safeguard the interests of the farmers.” Farmers groups, especially in Punjab and Haryana, have risen in protest against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, which replace the Ordinances promulgated in June. The proposed legislations seek to promote barrier-free trade of farm produce by facilitating contract farming as well as agricultural marketing outside notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandi s. Farmers are worried about the dilution of the existing Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime, as well as the entry of corporates with greater bargaining power than small farmers.

The Hindu

2020-09-18

NEW DELHI