“The Union Cabinet completed the formalities to repeal the three farm laws and in the upcoming session it will be our priority to repeal the same in the Parliament,” said Union Minister Anurag Thakur during a press briefing on November 24, 2021.
On Wednesday, Thakur repeatedly told mediapersons that Prime Minister Narendra Modi tabled the proposal before the Cabinet to repealed Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. However, there was no specific mention of plans to accept the farmers’ other major demand for legalisation of Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Therefore, while acknowledging the green light of the Centre, farmers group Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) focused on the Parliament’s Bulletin related to 26 Bills listed for legislative business in the Winter Session. This list includes the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2021 that the central government had promised to dismiss during earlier talks with farmer leaders. Further, the SKM noted the inclusion of the Indian Maritime Fisheries Bill 2021 – a document that worries fisherfolk, who are also farmers as per the India’s National Policy for Farmers 2007.
“Fisher unions have been voicing their apprehensions and concerns about this Bill and the SKM highlighted this issue on July 28 as well. We also wrote to the Prime Minister about farmers’ intention to continue with the agitation until pending demands are met,” said SKM leaders in a joint press release.
Aside from the aforementioned, farmers demand the removal of penal provisions on farmers in the ‘Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act 2021’, dismissal of the hundreds of FIRs implicating thousands of farmers in the past year, compensation and rehabilitation for families of the near-700 farm martyrs and suspension and arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, the alleged mastermind of the Lakhimpur Kheri killings.
Uttar Pradesh farmers noted that Mishra was kept out of inauguration events organised by local sugar mills in Lakhimpur Kheri following the ultimatum issued by the SKM. Still, farmers questioned why he continues to hold a position in the Union Cabinet.
Regarding the MSP demand, farmers claim a market survey shows that a majority of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) supporters also want MSP to be legally guaranteed.
“On the other hand, official data from the 77th Round of NSO show that a vast majority of farmers have not received MSP. This reinforces the demand for legally-guaranteed MSP,” said SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal.
As India approaches the anniversary of the farmers’ struggle, Karnataka’s peasantry declares it will mark November 26 by protesting on streets, highways in 25 locations across the state. Vehicle rallies will be observed at Srirangapatna and Chadalapura in Chikballapur district. Similarly, Tamil Nadu’ protesters will rally with trade unions in all district headquarters. Such tractor rallies are planned in many other state capitals like Patna, Raipur and Ranchi. The former rally left Gariaband on November 25 morning. In Kolkata, protest events will take place on Thursday and Friday.
In Telangana’s Hyderabad, a Maha Dharna took place on Thursday at the Dharna Chowk near Indira Park. Protesters held up a list of martyrs and paid homage to them.
Meanwhile, thousands of farmers near Delhi will march towards the border protest sites with tractors and ration and other supplies.
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