Harsimrat slams Union govt over failure to solve farmers’ issues

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday said that Bharatiya Janata Party led Union government had failed farmers, the poor and also has been discriminating against the Sikh community.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Union government had failed farmers, the poor and also has been discriminating against the Sikh community.

Harsimrat said during the last nine years those waiting for the promised ‘Achhe Din’ were battling steep inflation, indebtedness and hunger. (HT File Photo)

Participating in the discussion on the President’s address in the Parliament, Bathinda MP Harsimrat said that the government had failed to double farmer’s income as promised in 2014.

“Forget doubling the income, the price of all inputs associated with farming, be it diesel, seeds, fertiliser or tractors, have increased manifold. The finance minister has also admitted in the Rajya Sabha that farm debt has increased by 53% in the last six years,” she said, adding that this had also resulted in increased suicides. The Union government itself has admitted that 136 farmers were taking their lives every day, which translates to 15,000 farmer suicides annually,” she added.

She also said that farmers were forced to protest for the reversal of the three farm laws. “The commitment made to make Minimum Support Price (MSP), a legal guarantee, has not been fulfilled yet,” she said.

Speaking about the condition of the poor, Harsimrat said during the last nine years those waiting for the promised ‘Achhe Din’ were battling steep inflation, indebtedness and hunger.

The Bathinda MP asserted that the BJP-led government was also discriminating against the Sikhs. “A convicted rapist – Gurmeet Ram Rahim was being given repeated paroles, the rapist of Bilkis Bano was given remission, but Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners), who have completed their sentences are not being released,” she said.