Ex-Minister Harsimrat Badal mocks Centre's 'Digital India' push amid Farmers' protest

Lashing out at the Centre, ex-Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday, opined on the ongoing farmers' protest and said that the Government of India is responsible for the woes of the farmers. Sharing a poster that mocked Government of India's 'Digital India' policy, Harsimrat said that Centre is unable to understand that food cannot be provided via digital means. The poster read, "You can make Digital India, but chapati cannot be downloaded using Google." Harsimrat Kaur said that it is strange that the Centre is unable to understand it. 

READ | Replace ‘crocodile Tears’ By ‘Kejriwal Tears': SAD On Farm Laws Enforcement In Delhi

Harsimrat Badal had resigned from her cabinet post and Akali Dal snapped its 35-year ties with the BJP, protesting against the Farm Laws. While several states like Punjab, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Chhatisgarh have pledged to 'not implement these laws', Akali Dal supremo Parkash Singh Badal has returned his Padma Vibhushan, as a mark of protest. 

READ | Akali Dal escalates anti-Centre push; Will meet CMs Mamata & Uddhav over farm laws row

Centre to meet farmers again on December 5

Earlier on November 3, the fourth round of talks between the Centre and the farmers' unions concluded without any significant progress. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar announced that they would meet again at 2 pm on December 5. Besides him, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and MoS Commerce Som Parkash represented the Centre in the deliberations.

Revealing that the discussion took place in a good atmosphere, Tomar stated that the Union government is willing to discuss the unions' objections pertaining to points such as strengthening the APMC, regulating the private Mandis, dispute resolution and apprehensions over the MSP. Moreover, he exuded confidence of the two sides reaching a consensus on Saturday. On the other hand, the farmer unions remained steadfast in their demand for the repeal of The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

READ | Mehbooba Mufti Draws Farmers' Protest Parallel To J&K; Says BJP's Nerves & Failure Visible

READ | GHMC Election Results 2020 LIVE Updates: Exit Polls Predict TRS Victory; Counting Underway