November 19 will be remembered in the history of India as the day the Indian Government under Narendra Modi paid heed to the farmers demands finally and assured to repeal the controversial farm laws.
“Maybe something was lacking in our tapasya (efforts), which is why we could not convince some farmers about the laws. But today is Prakash Parv, not the time to blame anyone. Today, I want to tell the country that we have decided to repeal the three farm laws,” PM Modi said in an address to the nation on Friday which was also the birthday of Guru Nanak.
For a year and more, the farmers of Punjab and neighbouring northern States protested against the farm laws that was introduced by the central government without much debate on it at the parliament.
The farmers protested while enduring cold winds and the pandemic. More than 10 round of talks were held between the farmers and the Government but that did not yield results in favour of farmers. Several State Governments like Kerala, Delhi, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu passed resolutions against the farm laws, and the Congress and other opposition parties rendered continuous support to farmers in their fight. Eventually, the tireless efforts of the protest have won, and total victory is just inches away for them.
Few political analysts commented that this decision has come just months before elections in states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, and this could have been decided much earlier.
Former Finance Minister of India, P.Chidambaram said “This decision does not mean that the BJP government has realized its mistake and that the Prime Minister has had a real change of heart. Their only goal is how to avoid electoral defeat.” “Anyway, it is a great victory for the farmers and for the Congress party which was unwavering in its opposition to the farm laws”
Leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said “It’s farmers’ victory who have been protesting against Farm Laws for so many days; over 700 died. Seems like Centre is guilty, but who’ll take responsibility for the hardships farmers had to go through? We’ll raise these issues in Parliament”
The farmers have welcomed this announcement, and gave sweets to their fellow protesters and celebrated it. Bhanu Pratap Singh, BKU-BHANU President tweeted “I welcome this move. Due to anti-farm policies for 75 years, farmers died due to debts. I urge PM Modi to form a farm committee and let it decide crop rates. Farmers’ loans should be waived off in a day through an announcement like today’s”
“In the Parliament session starting in the end of this month, we will complete the process of repealing the three laws,” the PM Modi said in his address on Friday to the nation.
While they welcomed it, they made it very clear that they won’t end the protest right away. “The agitation will not be taken back. We will wait for the day when the farm laws will be scrapped in the Parliament. Government should talk on other issues of farmers too, besides MSP”, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait tweeted.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin said that he wholeheartedly welcomes the Prime Minister’s decision to repeal the three anti-farmer laws. He said “ History teaches us that people’s wishes shall prevail in a democracy. I congratulate all the farmers & bow down to their determination for having achieved this through Gandhian means.”
Another important decision announced by PM:
On the same day, the Prime Minister also conveyed “Today, the government has taken another important decision related to the agriculture sector. To promote zero budget farming i.e. natural farming, to scientifically change the crop pattern keeping in mind the changing requirements of the country”
“To make MSP more effective and transparent, a committee will be constituted to take decisions on all such matters keeping in view the future. In this committee, there will be representatives of the central government, state governments, farmers, agricultural scientists, agricultural economists.”