After Centre announces repeal of farm laws, farmers speak of difficulties faced

Protesting farmers travel in a tractor at Singhu Border in New Delhi on Saturday. PM Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Friday announced the withdrawal of the three farm reform laws. Pic/PTI

Following the announcement of the repeal of the three farm laws by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, the farmers on the Ghazipur border have welcomed the decision and narrated the difficulties they faced during the protest. Farmer Chaudhary Raj Singh, 99, said he was involved in the protest at the Ghazipur border since the very first day. He only went home for the last rites of his grandson, but returned to the site of the protest immediately. Singh further said that they were asked to vacate the protest site, but they showed courage and did not move, and that they suffered due to weather, be it rain or winter. The farmer also noted that he had never seen such a movement, even though he had been part of many.

Another farmer, Om Raj Singh, 85, Moradabad district, said he was involved in the movement from day one, and that during the movement his son got sick but he couldn't spare much time. Sarabjit Singh has been doing ‘Bhandara' from Lakhimpur Kheri. He said a lot of ration was destroyed due to the rain and storm during the protest. Farmers across India have also welcomed the Centre's announcement to repeal the three farm laws and demanded the law to be formed guaranteeing the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

PM showed statesmanship

BJP leader Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown statesmanship by announcing to repeal the three farm laws. Reddy said that the Opposition used the farmers as a political tool to spread lies against the Modi government, adding that the Prime Minister announced to repeal the laws with the spirit of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan.

Removal of Mishra sought

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday urged the PM not to share the stage with Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra during the conference of DGPs keeping in mind farmers' interest. She also sought the removal of Mishra from his post over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which his son is an accused. Gandhi made the appeal to the PM through a letter that she read out in front of reporters hours before the commencement of the DGPs conference. "Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra ‘Teni' still remains a member of your council of ministers. If you share the stage in the conference with the father of the accused (Ashish Mishra), then a clear message will go to the aggrieved families that you are still with those persons who are giving patronage to the murderers."

Accept MSP demand: Varun

BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Saturday requested the PM to accept the farmers' demand for statutory MSP guarantee for their crops, saying their movement wouldn't end without it. In a letter to the PM, the MP from Pilibhit in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh also asked him to take action against Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra without taking his name. "If this decision had been taken earlier, innocent lives would not have been lost," he added.

Chidambaram on repeal

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday said the PM made the announcement to repeal the farm laws without holding a Cabinet meeting and alleged that it is only under the BJP that laws are made and unmade without prior Cabinet approval. "Home Minister hailed the PM's announcement as showing ‘remarkable statesmanship' [...] Where were these worthy leaders and their wise advice in the last 15 months?" Chidambaram said on Twitter.

Mayawati on repeal

The Centre's decision to repeal the three farm laws came after an intense agitation, but it is better late than never, BSP chief Mayawati said. However, the former Uttar Pradesh CM said, there is doubt on the BJP government's intention because this decision is being termed as that of "electoral selfishness and compulsion". The decision comes ahead of assembly polls in five states early next year, including Punjab and politically crucial Uttar Pradesh.

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