Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal quits Modi Cabinet over Centre's farm Bills

Akali Dal's Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet on Thursday as her party faced heat from farmers in Punjab over its initial support to ally BJP's farm sector bills. 

Harsimrat Kaur Badal took to social media to inform that she has resigned from the Modi cabinet. She tweeted, "I have resigned from Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter & sister."

I have resigned from Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter & sister.

— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) September 17, 2020

During a discussion on two of the farm bills, the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal announced in Lok Sabha that she will quit the government.

The Akali Dal had earlier protested against the first of three such bills, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha.

In his speech on two of the farm bills, Sukhbir Singh Badal said the proposed laws will "destroy" the 50 years of hard work put in by successive Punjab governments and farmers to build the agriculture sector, and recalled Punjab's contribution in making India self-sufficient in food grain production as he vehemently opposed the bills.

The Lok Sabha on Thursday took up for discussion two bills for reforms in agriculture marketing with Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stating the legislations were in the interest of farmers and provide them the freedom to sell their produce.The House took up 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 together.