SAD-BJP Alliance: Why Harsimrat Kaur Badal Quit Over Modi Government's Big Farmer Reforms | Punjab

Among the BJP’s allies, SAD is the oldest. They had allied with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, BJP’s predecessor, for the first time during Punjab assembly elections in 1969. At the Centre, however, SAD joined the BJP-led coalition in 1998 and has been with it since.

The Narendra Modi government is facing a stern test in ushering in agricultural reforms in the country with one of its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), withdrawing from the Cabinet.

The SAD’s only representative, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, quit the Cabinet over the Lok Sabha passing two bills with regard to agricultural reforms yesterday (17 September)

The Lok Sabha passed the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill yesterday.

Both these bills, along with the provisions to facilitate contract farming across the country, have been hailed by economists. Prime Minister Modi has termed the passing of the bills as historic and these bills will provide new opportunities to farmers.

He did not hide his disappointment over the current spate of protests and criticism over the bills, saying “many forces are trying to mislead the farmers”.

In particular, he has allayed the fears of farmer over the fixing of minimum support price (MSP) for crops assuring that it will continue.

The Akalis were among those who had welcomed the agricultural reforms undertaken by the government as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan in June this year.

The Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Badal had pointed out to the reforms and invited investments in the food processing sector.

On her part, she has claimed that she kept quiet when the Centre passed three ordinances for the reforms since she thought it was temporary. This doesn't wash especially coming from someone who was a Cabinet member. It is a well-known fact that an ordinance will be passed as a bill within six weeks of Parliament being convened.

#BJP #SAD #AgriReforms #PunjabPolitics

Subscribe to Swarajya on YouTube.

Get a Swarajya subscription: https://subscriptions.swarajyamag.com/join-us

Website: https://swarajyamag.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SwarajyaMag
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swarajyamag

Видео SAD-BJP Alliance: Why Harsimrat Kaur Badal Quit Over Modi Government's Big Farmer Reforms | Punjab канала Swarajya