Farmers performed special ‘yagnas’ and danced to drum beats as celebrations broke out at the Ghazipur, Tikri and Singhu border points on Friday soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced repealing the farm laws.
The protesters were, however, wary about the implementation of the announcement and asserted they would not budge till the contentious laws were revoked in Parliament and there is a favourable decision on minimum support price (MSP).
The announcement, for which the farmers had stayed put at the border points of the national capital for over a year braving the scorching summer, the biting winter and through the brutal second wave of Covid, came on the auspicious occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti.
As such, community kitchens (langars) offered fritters, chole chawal, jalebis and other assorted sweets to add to the joyous mood at the protest sites.
Farmers at the Ghazipur border said the special ‘yagna’ was held so that hundreds of farmers who died during the protest can rest in peace.
Participating in the ‘yagna’ Rajender Yadav, a member of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmers union, said, “This is a happy moment for all of us. Finally, the voices of Indians who have been supporting the cause have been heard. It is not just our victory, but the victory of the entire nation.”
“This is the first time that the voice of farmers from across the country reached the prime minister. I hope that he will maintain the dignity of his position and keep his promise,” he added.
Most of the farmers PTI spoke to at the protest site said they were happy with the prime minister’s announcement.
Sitting on a chair in a tent at the Ghazipur border protest site — his home for over a year — Brijpal Singh Fauji (63) said, “We are happy that finally he (Modi) at least acknowledged us as a farmer.”
“Till now, we have been called various names. I am happy that today the prime minister has recognised us as farmers,” the native of Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli said.
Many farmers have, however, expressed apprehension about the revocation of the farm laws by Parliament, and wondered whether it was another ‘jumla’ (rhetoric) ahead of the Assembly election in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh.
“It is hard to trust the prime minister about his promises unless he implements them. Since these farm laws were passed in Parliament, we need them to be withdrawn in the same House following due procedure. Else, we won’t move,” said Fauji, a member of the Bharatiya Kisan Union.
Gaurav Yadav, the national spokesperson of Bharatiya Kisan Sangathan, who also performed a ‘yagna’ said, “It is difficult to trust the promises of the prime minister. Ever since he formed government in 2014, a lot of promises were made about ‘achche din’, bringing back black money, doubling the income of farmers by 2022…
“Instead, we had to take to the roads to protest leaving our families. Farmers braved monsoon, Covid, winters… we faced all the challenges but never gave up on our fight. We will not leave the protest site unless the laws are rescinded following all proper procedures. We will follow the directions of SKM.”
Asked if there are any plans of dismantling the temporary tents and arrangements, the farmers said there is happiness also there is a lack of trust considering the past records of this government which had been hesitant in taking back the laws.
“During the second wave, I lost my five relatives due to coronavirus… Nothing should lower our morale. It is a fight for the rights of the farmers’ of the entire nation.
“People died due to lack of oxygen during Covid but the government said in Parliament that there was no death due to lack of oxygen. Such is the state of India. We are not willing to step back unless the promises are implemented legally. There should be a favourable decision about MSP too,” he said.
At Singhu, a protester said, “We are happy with the decision. We have the blessings of Babaji.”
Harmesh Singh Dhesi of Kirti Kisan Union said, “The laws were passed in Parliament and they will be repealed there only. We also want to go to our homes. The day government repeals these laws, we will return home. We do not want any kind of committee on MSP as there are already so many panels at the state and central levels. We want a guarantee on MSP.”
Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh under the aegis of various farmers unions have been protesting at the borders of the national capital since November 26 last year demanding repeal of the three farm laws.
Farmers have been demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020; be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee the minimum support price for crops.
Prime Minister Modi announced on Friday the Centre will repeal the three farm laws, marking a climbdown by his government to meet the unrelenting demand of farmers protesting in several states against the reform measures for over a year.
He also announced the formation of a committee to promote zero budget-based agriculture, a term for farming based on natural fertilizers and local seeds, to change crop patterns as per the changing needs of the country and to make MSP more effective and transparent.
The committee will have representatives of the Central and state governments, farmers, agricultural scientists, and agricultural economists, he said. (PTI)
