Sonu Sood Says "Wonderful", Kangana Ranaut "Sad": Actors On Farm Laws Move

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government's decision to repeal the three farm laws was welcomed by various cine personalities, including actors Sonu Sood, Urmila Matondkar, Taapsee Pannu and Richa Chadha.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and UP, who have protesting for over a year, were demanding a rollback of the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Enacted in September last year, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.

PM Modi, on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, said the three farm laws will be repealed in the coming Winter session of the Parliament.

Addressing the nation, he said, "Today I want to tell everyone that we have decided to repeal all three farm laws."

Soon after the announcement, various film celebrities took to social media to express their happiness over the government's decision and praised farmers for their perseverance.

Mr Sood termed the news as wonderful and not only thanked PM Modi but farmers also for holding a peaceful protest.

"This is a wonderful news! Thank you, @narendramodi ji, @PMOIndia, for taking back the farm laws. Thank you, farmers, for raising just demands through peaceful protests. Hope you will happily return to be with your families on the Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji today," he said in a tweet.

Sharing a photo of farmers, actor-politician Ms Matondkar expressed her joy over the decision.

"Victory requires passion, who needs blood that boils, this sky will also come on the ground, only intentions are needed that echo of victory. #Kisaanandolaan Zindabad. Happy for my farmer brothers and sisters. Salute to the martyr farmers #Jaikisaan always always," she wrote.

Ms Chadha, 34, posted a photo of her wearing a T-shirt which has a farmer on it and said it will be her outfit of the day.

"Sarbat da bhala! #OOTD," she said.

Ms Pannu shared a news clip, which stated, 'PM says 3 farm laws to be withdrawn'' and captioned it: "Also..... Gurpurab diyaan sab nu vadhaiyaan."

Actor Gul Panag said it was a lesson for the future governments to engage with all the stakeholders when bringing about reform.

"I wish we didn't have to let the impasse last this long, cause so many lives to be lost. And demonise, debase, delegitimise the Farm Protest and the protestors. #Farmlawsrepealed," she wrote.

She also expressed her anguish over how farmers were called hooligans, anti-nationals and terrorists, saying this will not be forgotten and forgiven.

Dia Mirza tweeted, "Jai Kisaan #GuruPurab."

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta said it is time to celebrate the determination and perseverance of farmers.

"Let's celebrate the farmers, their grit and their perseverance today," he tweeted.

Actor Ranvir Shorey, said, "In the end, politics & politicians are the winners. In #India, they always are. #BharatBananaHai."

Congratulating the farmers, actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub expressed his joy on social media.

"Many many congratulations to farmer friends and all supporters!! We fought comrades, we won comrades! If you try, you will win sometime!! #FarmersProtest #Farmlawsrepealed," he said.

Filmmaker Onir welcomed the decision but also said one must not forget all those people who lost their lives amidst the protest.

"jai ho #kisanandolan #FarmersProtest. The beat thing I have heard in a long long time. But DO NOT FORGET all the lives lost in this long battle," he added.

"Sign of a true democracy is when opposing groups come together for the greater harmony of the country! Happy that the govt has decided to call off the stand off & repeal for rework the #farmlaws & bring about peace. Let's all celebrate in this spirit of Gurupurab Folded hands#GuruNanakJayanti," actor Randeep Hooda said.

Actor Kangana Ranaut, however, had a different view.

In her Instagram stories, the actor expressed her displeasure over the government's decision to repeal the three farm laws.

"Sad, shameful and absolutely unfair," she said.

"If people on the street have started to make laws and not the chosen government in the parliament then even this is a jihadi nation... Congratulations to all who wanted it like this," she wrote, in response to a social media user, who hailed the move.

The protesting farmers had expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

In the past, many celebrities such as Ms Pannu, Ms Chadha, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Preity Zinta, Swara Bhasker, Diljit Dosanjh, Reitesh Deshmukh, director Hansal Mehta, Harbhajan Mann, Jasbir Jassi, among others had extended their support to the protesting farmers, via social media.

Many Punjabi singers and actors, including Mr Mann, Kanwar Grewal, Harf Cheema, Babbu Maan, Jass Bajwa, Himmat Sandu, R Nait, Anmol Gagan, composed songs hailing the fighting spirit of the farmers.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)