Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an address to the nation today, announced that the three contentious farm laws introduced in 2020 will be repealed.
"We haven't been able to explain to our farmers. This is not a time to blame anyone. I want to tell you that we have taken the farm laws back," said the Prime Minister, urging farmers to return to their homes and fields.
The decision comes ahead of key state elections, over a year after farmers' began protesting the laws.
PM Modi said his government did its best to educate and inform the farmers about the laws and will continue to keep working for their betterment.
Here are the Highlights on the Farm Laws Repeal:
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said that issues related to Minimum Support Price (MSP) are bigger than the farm laws.
"MSP is bigger issue than farm laws, it is the lifeline of Indian farmers ... If the central government genuinely wants to fulfil their promise of doubling the farmers income or accepting the C2 formula of Swaminathan report, then they should accede to this demand," Mr Sidhu said in a tweet.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a rollback of three controversial farm laws that kept protesting farmers on the street for more than a year, a blizzard of "thank-you" tweets followed from BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh.
"You must have heard the Prime Minister's address where he announced the repeal of the farm laws that unions were agitating against. These laws were in the interest of the country but voices against it could not be ignored. We have to solve this through dialogue. Dialogue is the biggest strength of a democracy and the Prime Minister should be thanked for this," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tweeted.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to repeal the three farms laws showed his sensitivity towards the welfare of farmers.
"Today Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interest of farmers and respecting their sentiments has taken a big decision to withdraw three agriculture laws. This decision reveals the sensitivity of the Prime Minister towards the welfare of farmers. I welcome this decision of the Prime Minister," said Mr Singh in a tweet.
PM Modi will scrap three controversial farm laws that led to angry street protests over the last year, his biggest policy reversal since assuming power in 2014.
In a televised address to the nation on Friday, PM Modi apologized for failing to convince a section of farmers and said the parliament will repeal the legislation by end of the month.
"The purpose of the new laws was to strengthen the country's farmers, especially small farmers," he said. "We have failed to convince some farmers despite all our efforts."
The announcement comes ahead of key provincial polls in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab where farmers are an influential voting bloc. The long drawn protests by hundreds of thousands of farmers could have hurt his Bharatiya Janata Party's chances in both elections. The government had, so far, refused to budge from its position which the protesters claimed would ruin their livelihoods, making it the longest stand-off since PM Modi swept to power seven years ago.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella organisation of various farm unions, has said that they have plans for the next three-four months, including visiting poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.
- Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) November 19, 2021Olympic boxer Vijender Singh reacted positively to the farm laws being repealed a day after a tweet of his went viral regarding the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which eight, including four farmers, were killed.
I come from an India when we take pride being vegetarian and yet run over the farmers #VirDas
- Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) November 18, 2021
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a rollback of three controversial farm laws that kept protesting farmers on the street for more than a year, a blizzard of "thank-you" tweets followed from BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today said he welcomes PM Modi's decision to withdraw the farm laws.
"Though a large section of people believed that such laws can play an essential role to increase the income of farmers, some farmer organisations opposed it. The government attempted to establish a dialogue on all levels, but we could not convince them. We respect democracy. Hence I welcome the repealing of the farm laws," said Mr Adityanath in a video statement.
आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी द्वारा तीनों कृषि कानूनों को वापस लेने के निर्णय पर... pic.twitter.com/EwjmOpaTG7
- Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) November 19, 2021
PM @narendramodi's announcement relating to the farm laws is a welcome and statesmanlike move.
- Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 19, 2021
As the Prime Minister pointed out in his address, the Government of India will keep serving our farmers and always support them in their endeavours.
My heartfelt congratulations to every single farmer who fought relentlessly and were not fazed by the cruelty with which @BJP4India treated you. This is YOUR VICTORY!
- Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 19, 2021
My deepest condolences to everyone who lost their loved ones in this fight.#FarmLaws
Supreme Court-appointed farm panel member Anil Ghanwat today described as regressive the Central government's decision to repeal the three farm laws which were at the centre of protests by farmers for the past year.
The oppressive #FarmLaws were brought by the ordinances in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic, they can be repealed by the ordinances with immediate effect. Why wait for the parliament session to convene? #Farmlawsrepealed #RepealbyOrdinance
- Prithviraj Chavan (@prithvrj) November 19, 2021
People celebrate at Ghazipur border with 'Jalebis' following PM Narendra Modi's announcement to repeal all three farm laws. pic.twitter.com/pr6MgsQDmV
- ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2021
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is among several leaders who tweeted minutes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the three farm laws introduced last year will be cancelled.
What cannot be achieved by democratic protests can be achieved by the fear of impending elections!
- P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) November 19, 2021
PM's announcement on the withdrawal of the three farm laws is not inspired by a change of policy or a change of heart. It is impelled by fear of elections!
Punjab Congress chief and former Punjab Chief Minister have welcomed PM Modi's decision to repeal the three contentious farm laws that saw spirited protests from farmers at the borders of the national capital for over a year.
Repealing of black laws a step in the right direction .... Satyagrah of Kisan morcha gets historic success.... You're sacrifice has paid dividends.... Revival of farming in Punjab through a road map should be the top priority for the Pb govt ....accolades
- Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) November 19, 2021
Great news! Thankful to PM @narendramodi ji for acceding to the demands of every punjabi & repealing the 3 black laws on the pious occasion of #GuruNanakJayanti. I am sure the central govt will continue to work in tandem for the development of Kisani! #NoFarmers_NoFood @AmitShah
- Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) November 19, 2021
#JustIn | Prime Minister Narendra Modi Says 3 #FarmLaws To Be Repealed
- NDTV (@ndtv) November 19, 2021
Read more: https://t.co/ZQ07iycNTX
NDTV's Mohammed Ghazali reports pic.twitter.com/ue2cthsccV