Three controversial farm laws at the heart of massive farmer protests across the country for over a year will be withdrawn, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a striking announcement just months before elections in states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. The move comes on the festival of Guru Purab, when Sikhism founder Guru Nanak’s birthday is celebrated, mainly in Punjab.
“While apologising to the nation, I want to say with a sincere and pure heart that maybe something was lacking in our Tapasya (dedication) that we could not explain the truth, as clear as the light of the Diya, to some of our farmer brothers. 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. “In the Parliament session starting at the end of this month, we will complete the process of repealing the three laws,” he said.
“I would request all my protesting farmer friends, today is the auspicious day of Guru Purab, return home to your fields and your families and make a new beginning, let us move forward afresh.”
Before the big climb-down, the Prime Minister defended the laws saying they were meant as reforms, mainly for small and marginal farmers in the country. “Whatever I did was for farmers. What I am doing is for the country.”
Manjit Sodhi a businessman from Mumbai says, “Apologies to the 700 plus farmers who lost their lives and their families. The death of 600 farmers couldn’t make the tapasvi move, but UP elections certainly did. Kisan has won against a dictator. The next agitation would be by PSU employees and unemployed youth. Seek the rollback of privatization and also nationalization of Ambani and Adani group.”
Jaspreet Singh Bindra said, “What cannot be achieved by democratic protests can be achieved by the fear of impending elections. PM’s announcement on the withdrawal of the three farm laws is not inspired by a change of policy or a change of heart. Is it impelled by fear of elections?”
Sukhvinder Brar a farmer said, “In seven years for the first time he has undone something bad. Now he has to apologize for demonetisation, CAA, NCR, GST deaths, and many more blunders. Then he needs to respectfully resign. We had enough of him.”
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Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan have been camping outside Delhi since November 2020, demanding that the “black laws” be withdrawn.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.
Rakesh Tikait, a top farmer leader, said the protesters would wait till the laws were repealed in the session starting on November 29. The farmer protests did not stop through several rounds of talks between the government and farmers, disruptions in parliament and Supreme Court hearings on petitions challenging the laws. “We regret we could not convince all farmers. Only a section of them was opposing the laws, but we kept trying to educate and inform them,” PM Modi said.
The PM’s move may tip the balance in Punjab, where the BJP has been reduced to a minor player after long-time ally Akali Dal broke ties over the farm laws. The state’s ruling Congress faces a challenge from its own former leader, Amarinder Singh. Amarinder Singh, forced to quit as Chief Minister in September, held talks with the BJP soon after. Cancelling the farm laws was reportedly a condition that Mr Singh had for a tie-up with the BJP.
