After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on repealing the contentious farm laws, farmer unions like Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) have said that they will not budge yet. While they welcomed the Centre’s decision to do away with the farm laws, these unions said that they will not stop the protests until and unless the laws are repealed fully in the Parliament.
BKU’s Rakesh Tikait also said that farmers’ agitation wouldn’t die down anytime soon and will continue till the Parliament repeals these laws. “The agitation will not be withdrawn immediately, we will wait for the day when agricultural laws will be repealed in Parliament. Along with MSP, the government should also discuss other issues of farmers,” Tikait tweeted.
The SKM said that its meeting to decide further action will be held soon. The farmers union called the farm laws ‘anti-farmer, pro-corporate black laws’ which were brought in as ordinances in June 2020. It also blamed the central government for the deaths of farmers during this protest and also for the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
The SKM underscored, “However, nearly 700 farmers have been martyred in this struggle. The central government’s obstinacy is responsible for these avoidable deaths, including the murders at Lakhimpur Kheri.” “SKM also reminds the Prime Minister that the agitation of farmers is not just for the repeal of the three black laws, but also for a statutory guarantee of remunerative prices for all agricultural produce and for all farmers. This important demand of farmers is still pending. So also is the withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill. SKM will take note of all developments, hold its meeting soon and announce further decisions,” the farmers’ body said in a statement.
What are the three farm laws that will be repealed in the upcoming Parliamentary session?
The three farm laws that will be repealed are – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation Bill, 2020), The Farmer (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities Bill (Amendment) Bill, 2020. These were passed in September last year.
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