INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed two bills related to the agriculture sector that have triggered much controversy in the country with
farmers being apprehensive that the bills will overlook their interests.The bills were deemed as passed by the Lok Sabha after the
Opposition didn't seek voting on any clause related to the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm
Services Bill, 2020 and the Farmers' Produce Trade and commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020.The Congress, the DMK and the Left
parties opposed the Bills and walked out of the House in protest.Speaking about the bills, Congress party's leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir
Ranjan Chowdhury said these two bills along with a third farm bill that has been introduced by the Modi government are a "toxic triangle".In
his speech during the discussion on the two farm bills, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal termed them to be "anti-farmers"
He also announced that Akali Dal MP and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal would be resigning from the Narendra Modi government in protest
against the farm bills.The Akali Dal is the BJP's oldest ally and Harsimrat Kaur Badal was its sole representative in the government.Soon
after, Harsimrat Kaur Badal in a tweet said she has resigned from the Union Cabinet and feels "proud" to stand by the farmers against these
"anti-farmer" legislations."I have resigned from the Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation
Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter and sister," she said in a tweet."I don't want to be part of a government which brought farm
sector bills without addressing apprehensions of farmers," she was quoted as saying later by PTI.Sukhbir Singh Badal said his party
repeatedly tried to appraise the Modi government about the apprehensions that farmers have regarding these bills."We asked Agriculture
Minister Narendra Singh Tomar several times to address farmers' concerns but we were not heard."In his speech in the Lok Sabha, Sukhbir
Singh Badal said the proposed laws will "destroy" the 50 years of hard work done by successive Punjab governments to build the farm
sector.He recalled Punjab's massive contribution in making India self-sufficient in food grain production as he vehemently opposed the
bills.Meanwhile, the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) has given a call for an all-India band and protest on
September 25.WHAT ARE THE FARM BILLS?On Monday, the Modi government introduced 'The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion And
Facilitation) Bill', 'The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill', and 'The Essential
Commodities (Amendment) Bill'.These bills are aimed to replace the ordinances promulgated by the government in the past.The government has
argued that these measures will free farmers from the existing government-controlled markets and prices, and that they can enter into
agreements with private parties for a better price of their produce.However, farmers are apprehensive and fear that once these bills are
passed by Parliament, they would pave the way for dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system and leave the farming community at
the "mercy" of big corporates.Over the last few weeks, farmers have organised protests in several parts of Punjab, Haryana, Telangana,
Rajasthan, among others, against these bills
| Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigns from Modi govt, says I'm protesting against anti-farmer bills | Harsimrat Kaur Badal quits Modi govt: Why the
farm bills are controversial
