Captain Amarinder Singh said that but far from helping them save face, which they probably hoped to do, "the Akalis will now find themselves in a bigger political mess now", having been left with no place either in Punjab or at the Centre. Amarinder Singh said if Sukhbir Badal, Harsimrat Badal and other SAD leaders had any shame left, they should admit to their deceitful actions as part of the Union government and beg the farmers for forgiveness.

READ | SAD to CM Amarinder: Declare Punjab as Principal Market Yard so Farm Bills don't apply

Akali Dal exits NDA

Addressing the media on Friday regarding the decision to quit NDA, the SAD chief said that the party will continue to stand by its core principles of "peace, communal harmony and guarding the interest of Punjab, Punjabis in general and Sikhs and farmers in particular". He said the decision has been taken in consultation with the people of Punjab, especially party workers and farmers.

READ | Akali Dal pulls out of BJP-led NDA over Farm Bills row: "Centre insensitive to Punjab"

Badal said that the bills on agricultural marketing brought by the BJP-led government were "lethal and disastrous" for the already beleaguered farmers. He said the SAD was the oldest ally of the BJP but the government "did not listen to it on honouring the sentiments of farmers".

READ | Amid farm bills row, Centre goes for early procurement of paddy in Haryana, Punjab

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed by Parliament on Sunday. A third bill relating to amendment in the Essential Commodities Act has also been passed by Parliament. The Centre has said that the bills provide farmers with the freedom to sell their produce everywhere.