Haryana BJP neta quits party over Farm laws; says 'govt should address farmers' concerns

Even as Centre has claimed that the farm acts are for the benefit of the farmers and PM Modi has slammed the political parties for trying to spread misinformation, it has done little to assuage the concerns of the farmers. Now, fissures have emerged within the BJP as well.

On Wednesday, Haryana BJP leader Shyam Singh Rana quit the party. The former MLA from Radaur in Yamunanagar district submitted his resignation to state BJP chief Om Prakash Dhankar. Rana, who was chief parliamentary secretary in the first term of the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government, said he was quitting the party keeping the farmers' issue in mind. Earlier, two other BJP leaders from the state - Parminder Singh Dhull and Rampal Majra - had also dubbed the Centre's farm reforms "anti-farmer", claiming that the apprehensions about the minimum support price needed to be addressed. Moreover, two MLAs from the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which is part of the BJP-led ruling coalition in Haryana, had also participated in the protests against the farm reforms.

In his resignation letter to Dhankar, Rana said keeping in view the problems faced by the farmers, "I support them and resign from all the posts I hold and also resign from the party. The government should have created avenues for farmers by improving the existing system. The farmers' concerns are genuine and the government should have addressed these," he said. He also claimed that a large number of farmers in the state have been facing difficulties in crop procurement since the past few days, but the government did not pay adequate attention to the matter. Asked if he will join any other outfit, Rana said he will consult his supporters before making the next move.

READ | Farm bills: Punjab CM lashes out at Sukhbir Badal, says Akali Dal lost credibility

Akali Dal quits NDA

In what has been the major political upheaval amid the protest against the farm acts, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), one of the oldest National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies, parted ways with the BJP and its party leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal who was Union Minister resigned. Justifying its exit from the NDA, SAD cited 'Centre’s stubborn refusal to give statutory legislative guarantees to protect assured marketing of farmers crops on MSP and its continued insensitivity to Punjabi and Sikh issues', as the reason.

READ | DMK MP Tiruchi Siva Moves SC Against Farm Acts, Claims Violation Of Constitution

What are the farm Acts?

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming.

 On the other hand, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances such as war, famine, extraordinary price rise, and natural calamity of a grave nature. 

Farmers protest Farm Acts

The three farm acts have seen widespread protests across the country, with thousands of farmers blocking roads and railway tracks. At Kurukshetra, the police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the agitators, leading to massive outrage criticising the Police and the Haryana government. While Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has already passed a resolution in the Assembly, rejecting the three ordinances, assuring farmers all cases will be withdrawn for their protests, now fissures have emerged within the ruling alliance in Haryana too. 

READ | Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal Resigns From Modi Cabinet Opposing Three Farm Bills