By ATUL CHANDRA
Political expediency can make even a strong leader like Narendra Modi to bow to pressure. There can be no other reason for the Prime Minister’s sudden announcement of repealing the three contentious, anti-farmer laws passed in September 2020. The move has shocked even an ardent Modi supporter like Kangana Ranaut.
The rollback signifies a major victory for protesting farmers, who were branded as Khalistanis, terrorists and anti-nationals, and a major setback for the government. Making the stunning announcement the Prime Minister said in an address to the nation, “In the Parliament session starting at the end of this month, we will complete the process of repealing the three farm laws.”
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He then appealed to farmers protesting at Tappal along Haryana border, Singhu and Ghazipur borders for more than a year to go back to their villages. “I would request all my protesting farmer friends, today is Guru Purab, return home to your fields and your families and make a new beginning, let us move forward afresh,” the Prime Minister said. He even apologized to the farmers.
The farmers were happy with the PM’s announcement but were not ready to trust him. Kisan Sanyukt Morcha leader Rakesh Tikait said that farmers won’t leave the protest site till the laws, including the one on minimum support price, were repealed. Farmers hold the view that the new laws did not provide adequate redress mechanism on MSP and insist on a law guaranteeing MSP.
The prime minister defended the three laws saying they were for reforming the agriculture sector and intended to help small and marginal farmers. He regretted the government could not convince all farmers but insisted that only a section of them was opposing them, “but we kept trying to educate and inform them”. Farmers were convinced that the laws were meant to benefit big corporate houses, mainly Ambani and Adani.
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Opposition leaders saw through the PM’s ploy. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “Farmers’ satyagraha has defeated arrogance. Congratulations for this victory over injustice.” Priyanka Gandhi asked why there was not a word of condolence from the Prime Minister for the hundreds of farmers who died while protesting. Former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said the farmers will still reject the BJP.
For the BJP it is #Masterstroke. The party wants to project defeat as victory. The party is obviously looking at Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, the two election-bound states where the farming community was miffed with the government for bulldozing its way to pass the laws. In Western UP the party was staring at bleak prospects and in Punjab, the BJP is a cipher and friendless. The Shiromani Akali Dal, which was in coalition with the BJP, broke the alliance after the farm laws were passed. The BJP will now piggyback Captain Amarinder Singh to improve its poll prospects. The situation being what it is, the Prime Minister’s big announcement may not cut much ice.
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The move may, however, work in western UP as Rakesh Tikait can be brought around to support the BJP once the laws are repealed. Western UP is also a strong belt of BJP supporters who may not dump their party.