Farmers welcome Modi's rollback call; to continue protest till Centre repeals law

The BJP-led government was not trustworthy, said Mollah, the general secretary of All India Kisan Sabha

Braving harsh winters and scorching summers, farmers’ outfits spent 358 days agitating against the three farm laws at the borders of the national capital, but appear to be in no mood to vacate the protest sites till the Modi government delivers on its assurance to rollback the agricultural reforms.

Celebrations broke out at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders on the national capital where the protestors have pitched tents and blocked highways soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday morning that the three laws will be repealed in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.

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“We hope that the Government of India will not allow the announcement to go waste and will go the full length to fulfil all the legitimate demands of protesting farmers, including statutory legislation to guarantee a remunerative MSP,” the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body spearheading the agitation said in a statement.

A meeting of the core committee of SKM is scheduled on Saturday and Sunday to decide the future course of action.

The SKM also reminded the Modi government of its concerns about the Electricity Amendment Bill and law to ensure that farmers get minimum support prices for farm produce.

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The farmer leaders were planning to mark one year of the protests at the three sites on November 26 and take out protests marches to Parliament every day after the Winter Session began on November 29.

The SKM has not yet shelved plans to mark the first anniversary of protests but on the contrary intensified the mobilisation.

“Mobilisation of a large number of farmers to protest sites on November 26 to mark the first anniversary of the agitation is being intensified,” it said.

“By forcing the repeal of the laws the farmer's struggle has led to a reinstatement of democracy in the country, and of the federal polity in India,” the SKM said.

Besides inclement weather, the agitating farmers also braved political attacks with BJP leaders dubbing them “anti-nationals”, “khalistanis”, “terrorists” and “Maoists”.