‘They were good reforms; some farmers were convinced but others were not’

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation at 9 am today and in a stunning U-turn, he decided to repeal all three agricultural reform laws that have sparked almost a year of massive protests by farmers. He said his Cabinet will take the decision next month.

The three controversial Farm Laws are at the heart of massive farmer protests across the country for over a year.

The PM’s announcement came on the Guru Purab festival, when Sikhism Founder Guru Nanak’s birthday is celebrated across India, mainly in Punjab, where elections will be held in three months.

“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.

Last year, in September, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent for the three Farm Bills passed by the Parliament. The three Bills were: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.

These Bills were passed by Parliament during the Monsoon Session last year. Farmers have continued to express apprehension that the Centre’s farm reforms would leave them at the “mercy” of big companies.

“In the Parliament session starting at the end of this month, we will complete the process of repealing the three laws,” he said.

The Prime Minister began with a defence of the laws saying they were meant as good reforms, mainly for small and marginal farmers in the country. But some farmers were convinced, others were not, he admitted. “Whatever I did was for farmers. What I am doing is for the country.”

To ensure that farmers get the right amount for their hard work, many steps were taken. “We strengthened the rural infrastructure market. We not only increased MSP but also set up record Government procurement centres. Procurement by our Government broke the record of the past several decades,” he said.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have been camping outside Delhi since November 2020, demanding that the “black laws” be withdrawn. The BJP has faced massive anger in Northern States, something it cannot afford as it preps for big elections ahead, including the 2024 national polls. 

How did farmers react?

Rakesh Tikait, a farmer leader, said the protests would not stop before the laws were repealed in the Parliament Session starting Nov. 29. The farmer protests were unrelenting through several rounds of talks between the Government and farmers, disruptions in Parliament and Supreme Court hearings.

A group of farmers was seen celebrating at the Ghazipur border. Tikait said the farmers will continue the agitation, and added that, “will wait for the day when the farm laws will be scrapped in the Parliament.”

In a tweet in Hindi, Tikait wrote, “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.”