New Delhi: Farmers protesting for more than 15 months against the contentious farm laws have decided to call of their protest after receiving a formal proposal from the government accepting their remaining demands. Of these, the key one was the proposed committee on Minimum Support Price, where farmers demanded inclusion of their representatives. The government's letter, accessed by NDTV, showed the government has agreed to this.
The government has also said the cases against farmers across the country will be withdrawn. No action will be taken in cases of stubble burning, which contributes to the customary winter haze across Delhi and its surrounding areas.
The government will also bring an Electricity Amendment Bill in Parliament after discussing it with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, the conglomerate of more than 40 farmers' unions.
Compensation will also be given to the families of farmers who died during the protest.
This afternoon, the farmers announced that they are calling off their protest. Those camping at the borders of Delhi – at Singhu, Ghaziabad and other places, will start moving out on Saturday.
Asked about the withdrawal of the protest ahead of the announcement, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait refused to respond. "It has been one-and-half year, what's the hurry? We will discuss and come to a conclusion," he teased the journalists.
Within minutes, the farmers made the announcement.
The resolution of the unprecedented 15-month protest came after months of face-off between the two sides, involvement of courts and a final series of U-turns by the government months before a string of crucial state elections.
Starting with scrapping of the contentious laws, the government agreed to the other demands of the farmers including the long-standing demand on the Minimum Support Price.