In a huge development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that his government will take constitutional measures. The three farm laws which were passed during the Monsoon session of Parliament in 2020 will be repealed.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on the same day applauded the decision. She was happy with Modi’s decision to withdraw the three contentious farm laws. She said that it was “a victory” for farmers and their long struggle against the laws. This came after PM Modi, in a televised address, announced that the central government will withdraw the new farm legislation in the upcoming Parliament session.
While announcing that his government has decided to repeal the three farm laws, PM Modi said, “Today I have come to tell you, the whole country, that we have decided to withdraw all three agricultural laws. In the Parliament session starting later this month, we will complete the constitutional process to repeal these three agricultural laws.”
Underlining that the decision was delayed, the BSP chief demanded compensation. It would be from the Centre to farmers who lost their lives over a year of the agitation. “The central government should give financial assistance to the family members of the farmers who died during the protest movement.” She also suggested that a government job should be offered to the next of the kin of the deceased farmers.
She also demanded that the Centre should bring a law on Minimum Support Price (MSP). This must be done in the winter session of Parliament. A legal guarantee on MSP is one of the key demands of farmers along with the complete repeal of the laws.
The BSP chief added that the central and state governments should consult farmers before bringing a law regarding agriculture. They should also take the farmers’ advice on laws regarding the farmers’ community. “It will check the unnecessary dispute between the farmers and governments,” she added.
The first law that will be scrapped is the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act. The second law that the govt. will scrape is the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance. And the last law that the govt. will repeal would be the Farm Services Act, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. According to the announcement, the Centre will scrap the laws in the upcoming winter session of Parliament. The government scheduled the session to begin on November 29.
The prime minister said, “The government brought these laws for the welfare of farmers, especially small farmers, in the interest of the agriculture sector, for a bright future of ‘gaanv-gareeb’ – village-poor, with full integrity, clear conscience and dedication towards farmers.” This he said in his address to the nation on Friday morning.
PM Modi added that it (farm laws) was “such a sacred thing, absolutely pure, a matter of farmers’ interest, we could not explain to some farmers despite our efforts“.
