By Asia Samachar | India |
The Indian government has agreed to repeal the three farm laws at the centre of a year-long protest by farmers nationwide. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement in an address to the nation timed to Guru Nanak’s gurpurab (birth celebration) today (19 Nov).
“Today, I am here to tell you, and the whole country, that we have decided to take back, to repeal, the three agriculture laws,” Modi said in the speech delivered in Hindi. “I urge all agitating farmers to go back to their families and villages and let’s start a new beginning.”
He added: “Today, while apologising to the countrymen, I want to say with a sincere and pure heart that perhaps there must have been some deficiency in our efforts, due to which we could not explain the truth like the light of the lamp to some farmers).”
The move is seen as a way out for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led federal government that had been locked in a prolonged battle with farmers after ramming through the controversial legislations in Parliament under the cover of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Thousands of farmers have been camping on the borders of Delhi since Nov 26 last year in protest against the laws. The farmers’ unions had also organised massive gathering at selected venues to apply pressure on the governmenty to withdraw the three laws and provide a legal guarantee to the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism.
In his adddress, Modi said the government will initiate the repeal process at Parliament later this month and also set up a committee of state and central representatives to make the MSP mechanism more transparent and effective.
Timing the announcement on Guru Nanak’s birthday celebration showed the role played by Punjab farmers in the keeping the battle alive despite various attempts to discredit the protest movement, including labelling them as anti-nationals.
In an immediate response, farmer union leader Balvir Singh Rajewal welcomed the move but noted that Modi was silent on MSP. “We will not leave the protest sites until it has all been settled,” he said.
RELATED STORY:
Year 2021: Crucial Year for Panjab and Indian Farmers (Asia Samachar, 4 Jan 2021)
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here
A cautious welcome short of jubilation, to this tactical political move forced on PM Modi, is recommended.
To quote from own item earlier this year, “The way of life of a people is not negotiable. Indian farm laws rushed through the Parliament cannot be negotiated. It will be necessary to repeal them as a pre-condition to a fresh start.
It is true that agriculture in Panjab, Haryana and other states is in need of overdue reforms. A revision of farm produce procurement policies can provide minimum support price (MSP) security for the farmers while introducing diversity of crops to meet market demands. Such reforms will also safeguard the environment and raise ground water level.”
Let us hope BJP/Hindutva politicians learn from this democratioc lesson taught by the farmers of India.
Comments are closed.