Farmers dance as they celebrate after PM Narendra Modi announced the repealing of the three farm reform laws at Ghazipur Border in New Delhi on Nov 19.
Highlights
- PM Modi on Friday announced to repeal the three farm laws and appealed to all farmers to return home
- Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers' unions, is holding mahapanchayat in Lucknow
- BKU leader Rakesh Tikait has said that the BJP will suffer loses in the upcoming UP elections
Even as the Centre has announced to repeal the three farm laws, the protesting farmers are in no mood to relent or call off their agitation. Digging in their heels, farmer unions have said that they will continue their agitation till the government resumes talks with them on their six demands.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of agitating farm unions, has said that farmers will go ahead with their protests and announced 'Sansad Chalo' (march to Parliament) on November 29 to observe one year of anti-farm laws protests.
Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation announced that the three farm laws will be repealed, fulfilling a major demand of the agitating farmers.
Meanwhile, in an open letter to the Prime Minister, the SKM thanked him for repealing the three farm laws, but noted that "after 11 rounds of talks, you chose the path of unilateral declaration rather than a bilateral solution".
The six demands include a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP); withdrawal the draft Electricity Amendments Bill, 2020/2021; removal of penal provisions on farmers in the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act 2021; withdrawal of cases against farmers during the agitation; arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri; and compensation to kin of farmers who died during the protest and building a memorial for them at Singhu border.
"Prime Minister, you have appealed to the farmers that now we should go back home. We want to assure you that we are not fond of sitting on the streets. We too desire that after resolving these other issues as soon as possible, we return to our homes, families and farming. If you want the same, then the government should immediately resume talks with the Samyukt Kisan Morcha on the above six issues. Till then, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will continue this movement," the letter said.
Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh have been camping at three sites on Delhi's borders since November last year and have said they will stay put until all their demands are met.
The opposition parties have blamed the government for the situation. They have put their weight behind the agitating farmers on the issue of Minimum Support Price also.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that people who have suffered false rhetoric are not ready to believe the Prime Minister's words while the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav said that farmers will bring a change in Uttar Pradesh 2022.
Meanwhile, farmers are holding a Kisan Mahapanchaya' in Lucknow today to press for their MSP demand. Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait urged the people to join 'MSP Adhikar Kisan Mahapanchayat' which is seen as a show of strength by the unions.
READ MORE: Farm laws repeal: PM Modi says 'apologising to nation'; celebrations at Delhi borders
