Agriculture-related bills should have been brought after taking farmers into confidence: Harsimrat Kaur Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Union Minister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, has said that she has resigned from the govt in opposition of the three agriculture-related bills introduced by the central govt. Acknowledging her failure to convince the govt to discuss the bills with stakeholders, Badal said that she resigned because she did not want to be a part of the government which was being portrayed as anti-farmers.

New Delhi: Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who had resigned from the Union Cabinet, displaying her opposition to the three agriculture-related bills, said that she is not playing any politics but had demanded the government to bring the bills after consultation with the stakeholders.

Talking to reporters, after President Ram Nath Kovind accepted her resignation from the Union Council of Ministers, Badal said she had tried multiple times to make the government understand her point of view.

"I tried many times to make them understand that the farmers should know that the bills are being brought for their benefit. But despite the coronavirus pandemic, farmers both young and old have taken to the streets because they fear their future will be gone and the control will be taken over by the rich," Badal said.

"I said the government should bring the bills after consultation with stakeholders, what is politics in this? Farmers are agitating not only in Punjab but also in Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, Maharashtra. There is opposition in South India as well," she said.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal said, "In May these ordinances were taken up and it had raised issues. I was looking after the Food Processing Industry and these ordinances were favourable for Food Processing Industries but will impact MSP and farmers."

The SAD leader said that at her party level they had tried to assure the farmers that the bills would not affect them negatively but to no avail.

She further said that she had resigned because she did not want to be a part of the government which was being portrayed as anti-farmers. She said that the party will take the final call on whether it will remain a part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Badal also slammed Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh for terming her resignation as "politics".

President Ram Nath Kovind had earlier accepted the resignation of the SAD leader, who resigned from the Union Council of Ministers last evening.

Furthermore, the President has directed Narendra Singh Tomar to take the additional charge of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

(Added inputs from agency)