Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Left red-faced after its coalition partner-led NDA government tabled the controversial ordinances on farmers produce in the Parliament on Monday, the Shiromani Akali Dal is seeking support for Chautalas and Cats in Haryana, and farmers from Uttar Pradesh to plan a joint opposition to the ordinances.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, along with senior leader Prem Singh Chandumajra, has scheduled a meeting with Dushyant Chautala-led JJP at 4 pm in New Delhi today to prepare a joint strategy against the ordinances.
Another meeting is scheduled with leaders of the Jat Mahasabha of Haryana in the evening.
“The two Akali leaders have scheduled another round of meetings with farmer leaders of Uttar Pradesh tomorrow morning in New Delhi,” said Chandumajra.
The JJP is a coalition partner of the BJP in Haryana while the Akalis are partners in the NDA government. Farmers are the main vote-bank for these parties.
Sources said the Akali leadership was under pressure to sacrifice personal interests for the sake of farmers on the issue. The Akalis have been supporting ordinances earlier but in thence of stiff opposition from farmers, it took a u-turn on Saturday and asked the NDA government to put the ordinances on hold till farmers are convinced about its benefits for them.
The Punjab Congress and the AAP have been opposing the ordinances tooth and nail. They have also made potshots at the Akalis for not standing by the farmers.
Farmers’ organisations say the new ordinances will end the minimum support price (MSP) system on crops produce. It will leave farmers at the mercy of the traders. They cite the market-driven prices often end in losses to farmers as happens often potato and tomato produce.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar while tabling the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, had insisted that the Bill would have no effect on the MSP.
