SAD for sending matter to select House panels

CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance government led by BJP at the Centre, on Monday decided to push for taking the three farm ordinances to the select committees of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well, so as to address the apprehensions of the farmers and all other political parties.

“We are talking to the top leadership of the BJP and have conveyed them that we are a party of peasants and when our core support base is unhappy and under the perception that the ordinances are anti-farmers, there’s a need to clear all doubts. So, best is to refer to the select committees of both the Houses,” said Naresh Gujral, Rajya Sabha member of SAD.

The ordinances were tabled in the Lok Sabha on the opening day of the Monsoon Session on Monday, amid protests by farmers in the national capital, Punjab and Haryana.

“The select committee on ordinances has members of all the parties and it is the best forum to ponder on such important issues which intends to decide fate and livelihood of a large section of population. The committee could also take the viewpoint of farmers,” added Gujral.

Since the three ordinances — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020, and an amendment in the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 — were announced on June 5, farmers and farm bodies were up in arms and were crying foul that it will bring an end to the regime of minimum support price and assured procurement of wheat and paddy, mandi system will collapse and apprehended that corporate houses will take over agriculture.