Stills from ‘Corporate Bhajao-Desh Bachao-Punjab Bachao’ rally in Ludhiana on 28 Nov 2021 – Source: Trolley Times
By Asia Samachar | India |
The three contentious Indian farm laws went away just as they came – unilaterally and with no real consultation. It speaks of the arrogance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Indian Parliament today (29 Nov 2021) repealed the three laws after farmers staged an amazingly united protest for more than a year, braving the weather elements and surviving attempts at intimidation and manipulation.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar introduced the Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021 as the Rajya Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament, sat for its winter session.
It was passed without giving lawmakers any room to debate it. Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge was given two minutes to speak before passage of the bill. The three laws were introduced in a similar fashion in 2020 – then under the shadows of the Covid-19 pandemic.
After giving the cold shoulder to protesting farmers for more than a year, Modi was forced to make a u-turn, probably a strategic decision in view of up-coming state elections.
Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous and a bellwether state, is set to go to the polls in February to March 2022. The state is currently under BJP rule, with saffron-clad Yogi Adityanath as its chief minister.
Punjab is also set to elect a new government before the end of March 2022. Farmers from this state have punched above their weight to power the protests, throwing forth the biggest challenge to Modi’s Hindu nationalist government since he came to power in 2014.
On their part, the farmers’ unions have made it clear that they were unhappy with Modi’s unilateral move to repeal the laws. In earlier discussions, the government earlier not putting any foot forward to resolve the differences with the farmers.
The farmers’ unions have also declared to keep up the fight until they secure further concessions from the government.
“It’s a victory for farmers. We are happy the laws have been repealed,” Harinder Happy, spokesman for Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a coalition of more than 40 farmers’ unions, told Al Jazeera.
When moving the bill, Tomar echoed Modi said that the three laws were enacted for the benefit of farmers. He expressed regret that the government failed to convince the farmers on the the benefits of the laws. Modi had said the same.
RELATED STORY:
Modi buckles, announces repeal of controversial farm laws after year-long tenacious protest (Asia Samachar, 19 Nov 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
