Background
Starting from November 26th, 2020, the boundaries of Delhi have seen a massive protest by peasants, the majority of whom are from Punjab and Haryana. Farmers are opposing two Agricultural Bills that were just passed by the Rajya Sabha: (1) the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and (2) the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. The two bills had previously passed the Lok Sabha, the lower chamber.
There had been a commotion once they were brought in the Rajya Sabha, and the Bill was eventually passed by voice vote. The three agricultural laws provide farmers with three basic liberties: defeating the monopolistic corporation at the APMC mandi and distribute prospects to anyone, bypassing the Essential Commodities Act and being available to keeping inventory that was previously restricted by ESCA stocking limits, and being available to create agreements and transfer risk to business people in contracts signed over a harvest well before production is made or met.
Reasons For Farmer’s Protest
Producers in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana are outraged by the contents of these Acts, fearing that they would serve as a stepping stone for the governments (at the Centre) to change or abolish the otherwise solid support network in their regions for the procurement of their harvests.
They are concerned that perhaps the Minimum Support Price (MSP) promise, which has served as a support system for producers since before the Green Revolution of the 1960s, would be stripped away underneath the pretence of providing farmers greater fair playing field and stronger opportunities. The agricultural product purchasing network in these areas is excellent, thanks to state-government initiatives.
Purchasing via the Food Corporation of India at the guaranteed MSP to farmers, that is announced prior to each farming season, motivates farmers to aim to increase production. MSPs are available for 23 agricultural products, although governments typically purchase rice and wheat.
Farmers are concerned about the two recent proposals because they believe they would destroy the government contracting mechanism as well as the MSP. And why are the majority of demonstrators from Punjab and Haryana? This is due to the fact that they are the main users of this support system.
Parliament Budget Session
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government did not allow opposition leaders to discuss the concerns that enraged the farmers during the budgetary parliamentary session. It should be remembered that, before the budgeting session began, farmers had been camped on roads near the national capital Delhi for even more than 2 months.
Hundreds of farmers perished as a result of poor climate as well as other circumstances at protest sites throughout the course of the campaign. Nonetheless, the central government did not permit this exclusive debate on the subject highlighted by producers’ associations, nor did it pay respect to the deceased farmers or extend sympathy to the offended relatives on the ground of the chambers.
Farmers Protests and the Prevalent Political Story
However, the single most significant accomplishment of the peasants’ revolt has been the breakdown of the governing regime’s grip over contemporary political agendas. As the BJP–RSS alliance seized control of nearly all mainstream media narratives and developed unmatched influence in the social media realm.
On 28 January 2021, the peasants’ revolt appeared to be disintegrating, suffering from the mass press hype that “unparalleled” violence had disfigured the capital city and “national flags” had been desecrated and during farmers’ tractors demonstration on Republic Day.
Security forces were preparing to perform a “Shaheen Bagh” at rally sites throughout Delhi, beginning with an operation at the Ghazipur border, some peasants strayed from originally agreed protest paths, the generally peaceful rallies became aggressive. They demolished barriers and drove towards the capital city’s heart, where they fought with police and assaulted the famous Red Fort.
The administration has sought to portray the angry farmers as “anti-national,” a term commonly applied to anyone who opposes Modi or the governing BJP’s Hindutva politics. The administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the protestors of being “corrupted” by numerous organizations.
One politician said they were loaded with “leftist and Maoist elements,” although some top BJP leaders alleged the protestors were “Khalistanis,” a term to refer to the minority Sikh independence struggle.
Interference Of Supreme Court
On February 15, the Supreme Court-appointed panel on new agricultural laws said that it had had talks with prominent academics and agro-based experts on the laws that farmers have really been opposing at Delhi’s boundaries for the last 2 months.
On Jan 12, the Supreme Court halted the execution of 3 controversial farm policies for 2 months and directed the panel to write a report in 2 months after engaging with the relevant parties. The Eleven sessions of negotiations between both the Centre and 41 opposing farmer organizations have so far resulted in a standstill, despite the fact that the former has made concessions such as suspending laws for 18 months, that the organizations have refused.
President’s Decision
The farmers’ protests starting to show no signs of stopping, President Ram Nath Kovind has mentioned that the government will follow the Supreme Court’s order to postpone the execution of the three agricultural policies, even as it attempts to clarify misconceptions about them.
In the one-hour statement to the joint session, which the Congress ignored, Kovind also mentioned the violence and hatred committed by certain protestors on January 26, when a national flag was raised at the Red Fort and security officials were injured.
The president highlighted that the privileges and resources that existed previous to the passage of the three farm laws are unaffected. The Narendra Modi administration has promised to postpone the three agriculture legislation for 18 months and undertake conversations with farmers to assuage their concerns.
Farmer’s Protest During The Pandemic
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an activist group of opposing agricultural laws, is holding a sequence of rallies against the farm legislation. The farmers’ movement was given approval for the Jantar Mantar rally by Delhi lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal on the precondition that only 200 demonstrators be permitted till August 9.
Agitating peasants have been requested to produce an assurance confirming that almost all Covid-19 rules would be observed and also that the demonstration will be calm. In the midst of Parliament’s monsoon sessions, the protestors were confronted with strong security presence.
Desi ‘kaadha’ and lemon juice have become the most popular drinks amongst peasants demonstrating the new Central agricultural regulations at 3 Delhi boundaries for over six months now, despite the fact that the spreading coronavirus epidemic is killing hundreds of people every day and sickening thousands.
They also have taken vitamin and zinc pills as medicines in the hope of improving their resistance against the viruses, but they are determined not to lose power till their requests for the removal of the 3 controversial agricultural laws and a fresh one providing MSP on harvests are satisfied.
Farm Laws latest news
On the 19th of November 2021, on the auspicious day of the Gurupurab, the Prime Minister of India on Friday addressed the nation at 9 am. In his address he declared that the government is ready to roll back the three farms laws so introduced.
“We have decided to repeal all three farm laws. We will start the constitutional process to repeal all the three laws in the parliament session that starts at the end of this month,” Modi said in an address to the nation.
The announcement came on the Gurupurab/Prakash Utsav festival when Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev ji’s birthday is celebrated all over the world.
“Guru Nanak ji had said ‘Vich Duniya Sev Kamaiye, Taan Dargah Baisan Paiyeea’. It means that only by taking the path of service to the nation can life turn out well. Our government has been working with this sense of service, to make the lives of people easy,” PM Modi said.
PM Modi’s addresses the nation: highlights
- “We have decided to repeal all three farm laws, will begin the procedure at the Parliament session that begins this month. I urge farmers to return home to their families and let’s start afresh,” PM Modi said.
- In coming Parliament session, we will take constitutional measures to repeal these farm laws, PM Modi said on Friday.
- PM Narendra Modi appeals to protesting farmers to call off their agitation and return to their homes.
- Three laws were in farmers’ benefit but we couldn’t convince section of farmers despite best efforts: PM Modi
- PM Modi announces to repeal all three farm laws. “Today I want to tell everyone that we have decided to repeal all three farm laws,” PM Modi said during address to the nation.
- To ensure that farmers get the right amount for their hard work, many steps were taken. We strengthened the rural infrastructure market. We not only increased MSP but also set up record govt procurement centres. Procurement by our govt broke the record of past several decades: PM Modi
- We worked to providing farmers with seeds at reasonable rates and facilities like micro-irrigation, 22 crore soil health cards. Such factors have contributed to increased agriculture production. We strengthened Fasal Bima Yojana, brought more farmers under it: PM Modi
- Agriculture budget has risen by 5 times, over ₹1.25 lakh crore being spent annually: PM Modi
- We have seen the challenges of farmers very closely in the life of our five decades. When the country gave us the opportunity to serve as Pradhan Sevaks in 2014, we gave top priority to agricultural development, farmer welfare, PM Modi said
- PM Modi lists out measures taken by the Centre to improve farmers’ situation.
- PM Modi extends greeting on Guru Nanak Jayanti. “I extend my heartiest congratulations to all the people of the world and to all the countrymen. My heartiest congratulations to all the people of the world and to all the countrymen,” he said.
- PM Modi paid tributes to Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev on his birth anniversary, saying his vision of a just, compassionate and inclusive society inspires people.
- The prime minister also paid tributes to Rani Lakshmibai, the Jhansi queen who had died fighting the British forces, saying she has a special place in the history of India and her bravery will not be forgotten by generations.
- The prime minister is travelling to Jhansi on Friday to launch development projects and also to hand over indigenous defence equipment to the three military chiefs.
- PM Modi on paid tributes to former prime minister Indira Gandhi on her birth anniversary.
After this decision, the opposition in an obvious way, not only congratulated the farmers who all participated in the protest but also portrayed it as their effort and pressure that led the Modi government to step down and repeal the farm laws.
