Farooq Abdullah calls up Sukhbir Badal, hails his stand against farm bills

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference stalwart Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday hailed the stand taken by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on the issue of farmers.

Dr Abdullah called the Akali supremo Sardar Sukhbir Singh Badal and congratulated him on "the courageous and principled stand" taken by SAD on the twin issues and said, "in doing so, you are not only living up to the glorious legacy of your party but have also provided a ray of hope to the farmers and other beleaguered sections of society in the country."

Dr Abdullah said that he was proud of his "long association with the Akali movements as a regional party committed to the setting up of a genuinely federal structure in the country."

He said that no one in the country has fought for farmers like the Akalis always have and "it is great to see you holding that flag aloft."

Dr Abdullah expressed complete support and solidarity with SAD in the fight for justice for farmers and for the status of Punjabi language in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal thanked Dr Abdullah for his "support and blessings for the genuine cause for which SAD has started the struggle."

SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal had quit from the union cabinet as Food Processing Minister over the agriculture bills that have been passed by Parliament in the recently concluded monsoon session.

Later, the party announced to pull out of the BJP-led NDA alliance over "Centre's stubborn refusal to give statutory legislative guarantees to protect assured marketing of farmers crops on MSP".