The curtains on the farmers’ agitation that started on Delhi borders last November against the now-repealed agri laws finally came down on December 9. The decision was taken after the farmers’ union received a formal communication from Centre agreeing to their demands.
The agitating farmers are all set to return to their homes on December 11 though many have already started packing up their belongings and removing the makeshift tents on Delhi borders.
Following a meeting of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of 32 farmers’ unions, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni said, “We have decided to suspend our agitation. We will hold a review meeting on January 15. If the government doesn’t fulfil its promises, we could resume our agitation.”
December 9 was the 378th day of the protest that began with a call to march to Delhi in November last year. The formal announcement to end the protest was made after the Centre sent an official communication accepting the demands and following the SKM meeting held on December 9. The demands include the unconditional withdrawal of all police cases lodged against protesters during the agitation.
On December 8, a panel of five senior SKM leaders met in Delhi to discuss a fresh proposal offered by the government. The farmers’ demands also include compensation to those farmers who lost their lives during the year-long agitation against the three contentious farm laws.
President Ram Nath Kovind on December 1 gave his assent to a Bill passed by Parliament in the Winter Session of Parliament to repeal three farm laws, twelve days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the government was scrapping the laws that ran afoul of farmer groups. The presidential nod to the Farm Laws Repeal Act, 2021 meant that the three farm laws stand scrapped now.
