Harsimrat Kaur's gloves off as SAD quits NDA; slams BJP & invokes 'Vajpayee-Badal sahab'

After Shiromani Akali Dal (S) h pulled out of coalition with National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over farm reforms bill row, Former Union Minister and S leer Harsimrat Kaur Bal slammed NDA for taking a rigid stand on 'pain and protest of 3 crores Punjabis'. She took to Twitter to express her disappointment after BJP-led NDA and S h a disagreement over farm reform bills which have w been passed in both houses of Parliament pending President's assent.

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S quits NDA after core committee meet

S, one of oldest allies of BJP, quit NDA alliance on Saturday after a three-hour-long core committee meeting on Saturday and a unanimous consensus to pull out of coalition. Harsimrat Kaur h resigned from post of Union Minister of Food Processing Industries after farm bills were passed in Lok Sabha. party leership h stated that it would decide upon fate of alliance after outcome of Rajya Sabha session on farm bills. However, bills were passed in Rajya Sabha too with a voice vote amid chaos that witnessed 8 Opposition MPs being suspended for a week, on September 20.

What are Farm bills?

Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 aims at freeing  farmers from constraints of state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby y would be able to sell ir produce anywhere. On or hand,  Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to eng with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services.

Opposition has stood against  bill vociferously by contending that bills will remove concept of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm produce.

Centre's assurances on Farm Bills

Centre has reiterated on multiple occasions that MSP mechanism will continue to exist and will t be impacted; moreover, Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar has also assured that  that se new legislations would t encroach upon Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Acts of states. 

se two bills will ensure that farmers get better prices for ir produce. y will t be subject to regulations of Mandis and y will be free to sell ir produce to anyone. y will also t have to pay any taxes," Tomar said.

"se bills will increase competition and promote private investment which will help in development of farm infrastructure and generate employment," Tomar ded.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said on multiple occasions that vested interests are misleing farmers over bills as bills do t change anything in previous laws, but only d option of selling produce outside without being dependant on Mandis or at mercy of middlemen.

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