Published 17:56 IST, September 18th 2020
SAD lambasts Punjab CM's 'double standards' on farm bills, cites case of Cong's ally Sena
Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa slammed Punjab CM Amarinder Singh for mocking the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Union Cabinet.
On Friday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa hit back at Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh for mocking the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Union Cabinet. Alleging that Singh has double standards on the issue of farmers, he pointed out that Congress' ally Shiv Sena had voted in favour of the 3 farm bills. Thereafter, Sirsa questioned the Punjab CM on whether he would back the interest of farmers or support the Sena. The Congress party is a part of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra.
Earlier on Thursday, Amarinder Singh termed Badal's resignation as theatrics being enacted by the SAD. To buttress his point, he highlighted that the SAD had not quit the National Democratic Alliance. According to him, this decision was not out for any concern for farmers but aimed at saving the SAD's "dwindling political fortunes".
Sena breaks ranks with the opposition
Unlike other opposition parties such as Congress, Trinamool Congress, NCP, BSP, and CPI(M), Shiv Sena supported all three three farm bills- The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. Speaking during the debate on the aforesaid bills in Lok Sabha, Sena MP Arvind Sawant stressed on the importance of the Minimum Support Price clause.
He opined that the farmers shall not get justice without the insertion of the MSP clause. He also raised concerns about the impact of the bills on 75% of farmers having less than 5 acres of land. Moreover, he shared details about Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's 'Vikel Te Pikel' (Sow That Sells) initiative.
The objective of farm bills
The aforesaid bills were introduced by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to replace three ordinances promulgated on June 5. As per the Centre, The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 was amended to ensure that the farmers get a good price on many commodities. Items such as food grains, oil, dal, pulses, potato have been removed from the purview of this Act.
Meanwhile, The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 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. On the other hand, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Union Cabinet soon after the passage of these bills.
Updated 17:56 IST, September 18th 2020