Farm laws repealed a week before protest anniversary

The repeal announcement comes 406 days after Rajya Sabha cleared the three contentious Bills

A decision to repeal the three contentious farm laws comes 406 days after Parliament passed the Bills despite vociferous opposition and a week before the first anniversary of unrelenting farmers' protest at the Delhi borders.

The government did not engage with the farmers after the 11th round of talks on January 22 this year. During the earlier meetings, it had refused to repeal the laws, a demand by the farmers. But 10 months after the last round, it has reversed its stand following unrelenting protests by farmers and keeping electoral calculations in mind.

If the announcement to withdraw the laws by Prime Minister Narendra Modi came out of the blue, equally dramatic was the passage of the Bills in Rajya Sabha on September 20 last year, as eight MPs were suspended a day later as they shouted slogans, threw rule book at the Chair and broke microphones. Subsequent Budget and Monsoon Sessions this year also were rocked over farmers' issues.

Track live updates of farm laws scrapped here

The protest by farmers, which started on November 26 last year, also had its dramatic elements from day one -- police initially denied farmers permission to march to Delhi, kisans were baton-charged during their march in Haryana, violence in Red Fort during a march to Delhi on Republic Day, deaths of farmers and a murder of a protester at a protest site.

The timing of the announcement on Guru Nanak Jayanti clearly points to the BJP's attempt to woo the Sikh voters in Punjab as well as farmers in Uttar Pradesh even as the supporters of the ruling party had earlier described the protesters as "Khalistanis" and one organised by middlemen. The protest was even picturised as one limited to two-three states.

"First, bulldoze laws in Parliament. Then face unprecedented protests. Thereafter, confront election realities in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, particularly. Finally, after much appeal, repeal. Kisan-ity prevails at last. I salute the tenacity of our kisans who did not give up," Congress Rajya Sabha Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh tweeted.

Also Read — PM Modi repeals three controversial farm laws

The passage of two -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill -- of the three Bills which the Opposition were against came amid protest as Deputy Chairman Harivansh went ahead with clearing the Bill without a division of votes as demanded citing disorder in the House. The third Bill was an amendment to the Essential Commodities Act, which was passed on a different day.

The MPs were demanding that the contentious Bills be sent to a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha for further scrutiny. But as the government did not pay heed to it, following which the Opposition stepped up its protest, leading to disruption.

Also Read — Farm laws — 'Arrogance loses', 'Kisan-ity prevails'

Opposition MPs alleged that Harivansh refused to acknowledge their demand for a vote and it led to the pandemonium. They also believed that the ruling party wanted to rush through the Bill, as they feared that they do not have enough MPs in the House to support and fail in the voting.

Of the eight suspended MPs, Congress's Rajeev Satav is no more. Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen, AAP's Sanjay Singh, CPI(M)'s Elamaram Kareem and KK Ragesh, Trinamool Dola Sen, Congress's Ripun Bora and Syed Nasir Hussain had then refused to leave the House for some hours after they were suspended on September 21.

Also Read — 'Great news!': Amarinder Singh thanks PM Modi for 'acceding to demands' of farmers

"Arrogance loses. From hubris to on your knees," Trinamool Rajya Sabha floor leader O'Brien tweeted.

The suspension also led to an unprecedented fast in Parliament House complex, as the eight MPs stayed overnight near the Gandhi Statue. On September 22 last year, it also announced the boycott of the remaining part of the Session.

The issue also resonated in the next two sessions -- Budget Session and Monsoon Session of this year. While Budget Session saw the government and the Opposition reaching an understanding to discuss the issue during the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address by increasing the time for discussion, the Monsoon Session once again witnessed pandemonium on the day farmers' issue was discussed.

Opposition MPs once again climbed the reporters' table and waved black flags while an MP threw a file at the Chair after the House was adjourned, protesting against the wording of the discussion. While the government went for a generic discussion on farmers' issue, the Opposition was demanding that the topic should be repeal of the Bills, which the treasury benches declined.

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