Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other states have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November 2020 in protest against the three legislations — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
TFM Desk
In a stunning announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Centre would repeal the contentious three farm laws passed by Parliament a year ago, which sparked massive protests by farmers unions in several states.
During his address to the nation on Guru Nanak Jayanti, 2021, PM Modi said “We could not convince a section of farmers”. PM Modi paid tributes to Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev on his birth anniversary, saying his vision of a just, compassionate and inclusive society inspires people.
In the coming Parliament session that will begin later this month, we will take constitutional measures to repeal these farm laws, PM Modi said.
PM Narendra Modi appeals to protesting farmers to call off their agitation and return to their homes.
Three laws were in farmers’ benefit but we couldn’t convince a section of farmers despite best efforts, he added.
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 past several decades, PM Modi said.
Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other states have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November 2020 in protest against the three legislations — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020. The protests have continued for over a year as deliberations between the government and farmers unions failed.
Meanwhile, experts believed that the upcoming state elections in key states like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh might have contributed to PM Modi’s stunning announcement on Friday.
Welcoming the Centre’s decision of repealing the three contentious farm laws, the Congress, via a tweet in Hindi, celebrated the win of the farmers. “Broken pride, the farmer of my country won,” the party tweeted.
Rahul Gandhi also tweeted: “The country’s Annadata bowed his head of arrogance with Satyagraha. Congratulations on this victory against injustice!”