Why are Punjab and Haryana farmers protesting against the central government in defiance of the pandemic restrictions, ever since the Parliament’s Monsoon Session began on 14 September? And why did Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Union Minister for Food Processing and a leader of the BJP's long-time ally Shiromani Akali Dal, resign recently?
In the centre of both these acts are three new bills on agricultural reforms that were recently passed in the Lok Sabha. They will now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha – and will become laws if they are passed by the Upper House.
Now, the Bills are believed to be aimed at easing the marketing of agricultural produce. But as agricultural marketing comes under the ambit of the state, this move by the Centre is being seen as an affront to the federal structure.
The Modi government believes that these bills are a big step towards liberalising the agricultural sector, by deregulating the agricultural market, by allowing free trade, and increasing buyers.
But while some farmers welcome the de-regulations, other farmers fear that if these bills get passed, it will not only invite big corporates to dominate the agricultural market but will also do away with the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
What exactly do each of these agricultural reforms aim to do for the agricultural market? And what are farmers of Punjab and Haryana protesting against?
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