Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday made a surprise announcement for scrapping the controversial three farm laws passed by Indian parliament in September last year.
Modi made the announcement months before fresh assembly elections in the Indian three states- Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The three laws are - The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, And the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.
The passage of the agricultural law in parliament prompted farmers across the country mainly from Punjab, Horyana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to go for a continuous protest at Delhi border for nearly a year.
Farmers argued that the laws would expose them to unfair competition, leave them at the mercy of corporate and deprive them of the guaranteed price for their produce.
"Today I have come to tell you, the whole country, that we have decided to withdraw all three agricultural laws. I apologize to India and with a true and pure heart that may be we not able to convince farmers (about the three farm laws)," Modi said in a televised address to the nation this morning on the birth anniversary of Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak.
Prime Minister Modi urged all agitating farmers to call off their agitation and return home to their families and let's start afresh. "In the Parliament session starting later this month, we will complete the constitutional process to repeal these three agricultural laws," he added.
Welcoming Modi's announcement for repeal of the laws, Rakesh Tikait, a prominent farm leader from Uttar Pradesh, told media that they will not withdraw their protest right now. "We will wait and watch to see what happens. Also, we want a law on MSP (minimum support prices)," he added.
However, farm-union leaders saw the announcement as a victory of millions of farmers. They said that one of their two demands have been achieved after the announcement, but another demand (for legal guarantee minimum support price) has to be fulfilled by the government.
Opposition Congress Party Leader Rahuul Gandhi said, "The decision to repeal the farm laws show "arrogance has succumbed to the 'Satyagrah' of the nation's food providers". He congratulated the protesting farmers.
Welcoming the announcement of repealing the farm laws, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the decision is a "statesmanlike move".