Indian president accepts food minister Badal's resignation

NEW DELHI - Indian President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday accepted minister of food processing industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal's resignation from the cabinet.

"The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the union council of ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution," reads an order from president.

"Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Narendra Singh Tomar, cabinet minister, be assigned the charge of the ministry of food processing industries, in addition to his existing portfolios."

Badal tendered her resignation on Thursday in protest of legislation seeking to liberalise agricultural markets.

"I have resigned from Union Cabinet in protest against anti-farmer ordinances and legislation. Proud to stand with farmers as their daughter and sister," she wrote on social media.

Badal's Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party opposed the farm-relation legislations but said it would meet to decide on whether to continue to be a part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

"From the day one when the ordinances were brought into the cabinet, Harsimrat Kaur Badal strongly opposed it and put forward her views that the people of Punjab are concerned with the ordinances. Especially, the farmers should be consulted. But they passed it," party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal told a local TV channel.

"We are sad that the government of India brought this bill without a dot of change. You cannot be a part of the government which has not looked into the rights of the farmers. We spent two months trying to convince the government. But now since the bill is done, we cannot go back."