PM Modi announces rollback of farm laws, farmer protest to continue
19 November 2021, New Delhi: PM Modi today announced that the Indian government has decided to repeal the three contentious agriculture laws. He mentioned, “Our government brought in the new laws with a good intention, full sincerity and complete dedication for the welfare of farmers, especially for small farmers, in the interest of the agriculture and the country and for the bright future of the poor in villages.”
Indian Parliament had passed the three laws last year —the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020—in September 2020.
Farmers from across India have been on protest at New Delhi borders for over a year and more than 500 lives lost during the protest. It is said to be one of the biggest and the longest protest globally.
The government will complete the constitutional process to repeal these three agricultural laws in the Parliament session that begins later this month. Farmer Leader, Rakesh Tikait leading the protest said that the protest will be withdrawn only after the legislations are repealed in parliament. He also mentioned that the government should also consider the demands of the farmer regarding Minimum Support Price (MSP).
