SAD day for BJP as oldest ally, quits; farmers bill kills alliance

There is a huge wave of unrest across India ever since the Centre passed two agriculture bills in the parliament. The farmers are seen protesting in UP, Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the controversial farm bills and now BJP's oldest ally, Punjab's Shiromani Akali Dal has decided to break ties with NDA over the injustice to farmers.

"The Shiromani Akali Dal has decided to pull out of BJP-led NDA alliance because of the Centre's stubborn refusal to give statutory legislative guarantees to protect assured marketing of farmers crops on MSP," the Akali Dal said.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said that SAD had been trying to bring the farmers' issues to the Centre's attention and the impact of the bills over the last two months, but the efforts went in vain. To protest the bills, Harsimrat Kaur Badal even resigned as Union Minister in protest.

"Recently Centre introduced three agriculture bills, which directly affect farmers, labourers and local traders. The ordinances hit the argricultural sector. I spoke in Parliament that we were not taken into confidence over farm bills by the Centre," SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal added.

SAD accused the BJP-led government of having "continued insensitivity to Punjabi and Sikh issues", according to ANI.

Protests across India

The huge uproar against the farm bills' supported by opposition parties has led to numerous protests in different parts of the country. The opposition has also reached out to the President Ram Nath Kovind to bring these bills back for reconsideration. The Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemns the new amendment and compared the government to the Nazi regime. 

The farmers are demanding that a Minimum Support Price be guaranteed to them to protect their interests. Farmers have said curfew and blockades will carry on till such time that the government meets their demands.