Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal quits Modi Cabinet over NDA’s farm Bills

The differences between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) came out in the open on Thuesday with the Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, quitting from the Narendra Modi Cabinet.

According to PTI, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal announced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday that party leader and Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal will quit the Narendra Modi government in protest against the three farm Bills tabled by the Centre in parliament.

Harsimrat Kaur also made the revelation on her Twitter account, writing "I have resigned from Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter and sister."

In his speech 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 – Sukhbir Singh Badal said the proposed laws will “destroy” 50 years of hard work done by successive Punjab governments to build the farm sector.

He recalled Punjab’s massive contribution in making India self-sufficient in food grain production as he vehemently opposed the Bills. "I announce that Harsimrat Kaur Badal will resign from the government," he said in Lok Sabha.

She is the only SAD representative in the Modi government. The Punjab party is the oldest BJP ally.

An NDA ally, SAD has been at loggerheads with the BJP over the Bills, which have triggered strong protests in Punjab and Haryana by farmer organisations.