Image Courtesy:timesofindia.indiatimes.com
The farmers protest ended as the Union Government sent the formal letter that puts on record its acceptance of the farmer demands. On December 8, the umbrella body Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders had given its general approval of the draft document sent by the central government. The over a year long farmers’ struggle was formally concluded on December 9, and the victory has been dedicated to over 700 farmers who lost their lives in the duration of the massive protest that was being watched closely the world over.
Tents will slowly be wound up at all sites at Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur on the Delhi-Haryana, Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. However the actual return homewards will begin on December 11, with a “fateh march” a victory march. Farmers groups have also planned to visit the Golden temple on December 13. However, the SKM will meet again in Delhi on January 15 to review the progress of their demands.
The farmers of India, have with this unique protest, shown that it is the united citizen that can make the most hardened political parties and government agree to just demands. They remain conscious that the Centre accepting all their demands is also at a time when many states are going to polls in 2022. The farmers standing tall as one unit, has also in its own way been recognised as a political powerbank that can have an impact.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) – the umbrella body of farmers’ unions spearheading the protests – had already said last evening that their 14-month agitation will be called off at 12pm on Thursday, “only after they receive the final copy of the government’s revised proposal accepting their demands.
The following were the demands of the protesting farmers:
1. Withdrawal of all the agitation-related cases registered during this protest in all states and Union territories, or under central government agencies, etc.
2. Compensation to all the families of the agitating farmers who died during the course of agitation.
3. No criminal liability to farmers in the cases of stubble burning.
4. The government has to discuss the Electricity Amendment Bill with the SKM or with other farmers’ unions before bringing it up in Parliament.
5. A committee to discuss minimum support price (MSP) is to be formed; the SKM will list out their members in the panel and provide it to the farmers.
6. The ongoing policy on MSP and its procurement in the country will continue as it is.
A consensus to call off the farmers’ protests was reached after the central government agreed to take back all cases registered during the farm agitation and for stubble burning. According to the farmers, the government has also assured that it will table the Electricity Amendment Bill only after consultation with the SKM or relevant farmers’ unions. Election bound Uttar Pradesh government, followed the Punjab government and agreed to provide a compensation of ₹5 lakh and a job to the kin of deceased farmers, as did Haryana government. The demand to include only SKM leaders in the MSP committee – apart from officials from the states, Centre, and agricultural experts – has also been met.
Earlier, the farmers were also demanding that Union minister Ajay Mishra, whose son Ashish has been tried in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, be sacked. However, judging by the last demand proposal sent to the Centre, the SKM’s five-member panel had removed that point.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Joginder Ugrahan told the media that an “unconditional withdrawal of all police cases lodged against protesters during the agitation,” was mentioned in the letter received. The SKM will celebrate this massive victory on December 11, as ‘Vijay Diwas’ (victory day) will be celebrated at all borders, toll plazas, and protest sites across the country, following which the protesters will return. There will be no celebrations today or tomorrow in view of the chopper crash yesterday in which 13 lives were lost.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced on November 19, that the central government will bring necessary bills in the winter session of Parliament to repeal the farm laws. Parliament then passed the Farm Laws Repeal Bill on the first day of the winter session on November 29 and after President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent, the process of repealing the three farm laws was complete.
Over 700 farmers have lost their lives since the protesting against the farm laws began on various borders of Delhi on November 26, 2020.
Must see: Kranti ka Naqsha: Mapping a year of the Kisan Andolan
With a year’s worth of mass mobilisations, India’s farmers have lived up to India’s democratic history while uniting the whole peasantry into a single nationwide struggle against an oppressive and proto-fascist regime. SabrangIndia’s unique Kranti ka Naqsha, mapped the year of the Kisan Andolan, a visual depiction of one year of the farmers’ struggles. The maps show how protests persevered through all seasons and evolved into various forms of agitations such as Mahapanchayats and homages. The last map also shows the growing violent aggression against this peaceful protest. The protest may have ended for now, however the farmers, and their unions, are keeping a close watch on what the government does next. For now, it is time for them to go home and be with their farms and families they had left behind, over a year ago.
Related:
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Parliament repeals farm laws sans discussion, but what’s next?