Lok Sabha on Thursday passed two bills related to "reforms" in agriculture marketing after a debate with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stating that the legislations will "end licence raj" and farmers will be free to sell their agricultural produce according to their choice.
BJP's ally Shiromani Akali Dal opposed the two bills. Several opposition parties including the Congress also strongly opposed the bills.
The House passed the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment And Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.
The bills seek to replace two ordinances brought by the government earlier this year.
Akali Dal's only Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet today as her party faced heat from farmers over its initial support to ally BJP's farm sector bills. The minister, who attended the cabinet meet that cleared the bills, stepped down shortly before the bills were passed by the Lok Sabha, tweeting that she was "Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter & sister".
