India has been witnessing protests against farm laws for more than a year now. (File)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday morning that the central government will withdraw the three contentious farm laws that have led to massive protests over the last year.
Two months after the laws were cleared in September 2020, farmers from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan began sit-in protests near Delhi borders.
Despite several rounds of talks with the centre, the demonstrators continued the agitation amid the pandemic against what they called "black laws".
Today, while announcing the repeal of the farm laws, PM Modi said: "While apologising to the nation, I want to say with a sincere and pure heart that maybe something was lacking in our tapasya (dedication) that we could not explain the truth, as clear as the light of the diya, to some of our farmer brothers. But today is Prakash Parv, not the time to blame anyone. Today, I want to tell the country that we have decided to repeal the three farm laws."
The farmers have contended that the three laws - the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020; and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 - would have hit their income by affecting the minimum support price or the MSP. Also, they had said, the laws would have left them at the mercy of big corporate players.
Here's a timeline of the events that unfolded since the laws were cleared last year.
The Debate And Passage Of The Laws
- Lok Sabha passed the farm laws ordinance on September 17, 2020.
- Three days later, Rajya Sabha too cleared it by a voice vote amid unprecedented chaos. The opposition wanted the bills to go to a select committee for greater scrutiny, after claiming that the rules were violated to help the government get the numbers for the passage of the bills. Opposition members wanted a division of vote, but Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Singh said that could happen only when members were on their seats.
- Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said the way farms laws were passed was a “murder of democracy". Some opposition MPs moved a no-confidence motion against Harivansh Singh. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected the motion, saying it was “not admissible under rules".
The Protests
- Farmers in Punjab announce a three-day "Rail Roko" protest the same month. Soon, farmers across India hit the street after a call by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC). By November, farmers started a march towards Delhi and were stopped by authorities on their way because of the Covid-19 protocols. They faced water cannons and tear gas.
- Home Minister Amit Shah offered to hold talks on the condition they vacate protest sites. Farmers rejected the government offer, saying they will protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
- By the end of the year, the talks between farmers and the government appeared to head in a positive direction. On January 12, 2021, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the farm laws and set up a committee to take the views of all stakeholders.
The Violence
- As the talks with the centre continued, farmers led a huge protest march on Republic Day and entered the heart of the national capital. However, scenes of violence unfolded at the iconic Red Fort, triggering nationwide criticism.
Global Support
- Global celebrities of the likes of iconic pop singer Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg extended support for the farmers' protest. Some lawmakers from the US and the UK also tweeted about the agitation. Lebanese-American model Mia Khalifa too said she “stands with the farmers”. This prompted pushback from some Indian celebrities, including Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble and Ravi Shastri, who tweeted using the twin hashtags -- #IndiaTogether #IndiaAgainstPropaganda.
- Meanwhile, Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh and Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut were engaged in a war of words on social media.
Farmers' Killing In UP's Lakhimpur
On October 3, eight people, including four farmers were mowed down by a convoy of vehicles while marching on the road in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri. One of the vehicles in the convoy belonged to Union Minister Of State For Home Ajay Mishra. Mr Mishra's son Ashish was arrested on October 9. The incident was widely condemned by the opposition; Supreme Court slammed the Yogi Adityanath government over the slow pace of the investigation.
Farm Laws Withdrawn
Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a broadcast to the nation that his government has decided to withdraw the three farm laws. He said the government will take the steps to do so during the winter session this month itself. Farmers have said they will not call off the demonstration unless the laws are recalled in parliament.