Breaking: Centre Repeals Farm Laws, PM Requests Farmers To Call Off Protests

Centre Repeals Farm Laws: In a surprising move, the government of India has decided to recall the three controversial farm laws that had sparked widespread protests in the agricultural community. The decision was relayed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, who also requested the farmers to call of their protests and return home.

We have decided to repeal the three farm laws: PM Narendra Modi.

Speaking about the "honest" intent behind the introduction of these three controversial farm laws, PM Modi said that they were introduced keeping in mind the agricultural community, the country, for a brighter future of the poor living in villages.

हमारी सरकार, किसानों के कल्याण के लिए, खासकर छोटे किसानों के कल्याण के लिए, देश के कृषि जगत के हित में, देश के हित में, गांव गरीब के उज्जवल भविष्य के लिए, पूरी सत्य निष्ठा से, किसानों के प्रति समर्पण भाव से, नेक नीयत से ये कानून लेकर आई थी: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 19, 2021

The Prime Minister also acknowledge that the government failed to put across its "pure" intent and agenda behind the farm laws to some farmers.

लेकिन इतनी पवित्र बात, पूर्ण रूप से शुद्ध, किसानों के हित की बात, हम अपने प्रयासों के बावजूद कुछ किसानों को समझा नहीं पाए।

कृषि अर्थशास्त्रियों ने, वैज्ञानिकों ने, प्रगतिशील किसानों ने भी उन्हें कृषि कानूनों के महत्व को समझाने का भरपूर प्रयास किया: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 19, 2021

The Prime Minister further revealed that the process to repeal farm laws will begin later this month at the start of the upcoming parliament session.

Modi's address came on Guru Parab, marking the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak- the founder of Sikhism.

What are the Farm Laws?

Here's what you should know about the three controversial farm laws that the farmers across the country have been protesting against:

1: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act: This would have allowed farmers to sell their produce outside the Agriculture Produce Market Committees, to any licence holding buyer at a mutually agreed upon price. This would have been free of the tax levied on mandies by the state government.

2. Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act: allowed agriculturers to practice contract farming and market their produce freely.

3. Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act: foodgrains, pulses, edible oils and onion were freed for trade except in extraordinary (read crisis) situations.

The farmers were worried that by allowing trade outside of the APMC, there would be lesser buying by government agencies at approved mandis, thus leaving the minimum support prices irrelevant.

This is a developing story.

Image courtesy: Kisan Ekta Morcha/Twitter

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