On Friday (Nov 18), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government would withdraw all the three Farm Laws which were passed by the Parliament a year ago, according to a report published by the Indian Express.
The Farm bills led to nationwide protests by farmers unions in several states.
The Indian premier also disclosed that in the winter session of the Parliament which is scheduled next week, the procedure to withdraw the laws would begin.
In an address to the nation during an event, PM Modi said, “We worked to provide farmers with seeds at reasonable rates and facilities like micro-irrigation, 22 crore soil health cards. Such factors have contributed to increased agricultural production. However, we failed to make them understand about the benefits of the new laws and as such, we have decided to roll them back,” reports the Indian Express.
The Supreme Court stayed the enactment of the three farm laws, after several rounds of talks between the government and farmer unions could not call an end to the protests.
Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other states have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November 2020 in protest against the three legislations, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, reports Indian Express.
The demonstrations to repeal the Farm Laws have continued for over a year as all talks between the farmer unions and the government failed.
After announcing the withdrawal of Farm Bills, PM Modi has also requested the farmers camped in Delhi and elsewehere to go back to their own places.
