New Delhi: Farmers’ unions Thursday called off their protest at the national capital’s borders, nearly three weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the three contentious farm laws will be repealed.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmer unions, announced that the farmers will vacate the Delhi borders and return to their homes Saturday, 11 December. It is learnt that the farmers are also planning to hold a victory march on that day, and have said they will begin celebrations after the funeral of Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat who, along with his wife and 11 others, died in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu Wednesday.
Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh had been protesting against the three laws at the national capital’s borders since November last year. While announcing the repeal of the laws on 19 November, PM Modi had appealed to the agitating farmers to return to their homes.
Both the Houses of Parliament had passed the repeal bill at the beginning of the ongoing Winter Session.
While the demand for the repeal of the laws was finally agreed to, the farmers then wrote to PM Modi, stating that they will continue their protest for other demands, chief among them the legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).
However, critics said the demand will “drive the country to bankruptcy”.
The farmers have now agreed to end the protest as the government sets up a panel to deliberate on the issue of MSP.
According to reports, the farmers will hold a review meeting on 15 January.
Also read: Protests, failed talks, violence, deaths — timeline of farm laws before Modi govt’s U-turn