In a totally unexpected development, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, in an early morning national address on November 19, 2021, on the occasion of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary called Guru Purab Prayed prakash parv (a holy festival observed by Sikhs on the birth/death anniversaries of their saints/gurus), announced the Government’s decision to repeal the three controversial Farm Bills whose constitutional formalities will be completed in the winter session of the Indian Parliament from on November 29, 2021. However, the Prime Minister strongly defended the Farm Bills saying that these reforms were brought in favor of farmers, particularly small and marginal farmers; however, he admitted that the laws failed to convince sectors of the farmers and dissatisfied growers cannot be left behind. Narendra Modi added that perhaps the government’s ‘dedication’ to improving the country’s growers was not enough. The Prime Minister also promised to renew and strengthen the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) mechanism for crops by appointing a committee of state representatives, farmers, agricultural experts and economists, and this step will also be decided in the Parliament session.

The Farmers’ Movement has been running for almost a year with thousands of them camping outside the capital Delhi and suffering through all four seasons, many of them perishing in the camps. They have been looking at various road closure programs; railway blockades; Delhi marches during one of which on Republic Day on January 26 this year saw an unprecedented, possibly unintended, flare-up of violence in the capital; marches to Parliament; Bharat Bandhs; and so. Around 11 rounds of talks with the Modi government failed to resolve the issue and the government allegedly tried to suppress the movement in various ways, such as trying to win over factions to support the laws or cracking down on the areas of the camps etc. The deficit of farmers’ confidence in the Government of India has gotten so bad that even now, in the face of this welcome announcement, top farmers’ leaders say the movement will continue until the final nail is driven in canceling the three laws. during Parliament as promised.

Whether for the upcoming assembly elections in five states, including the crucial final election states (for the general election) Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, where the BJP remains a minor player even after Amarinder Singh’s defection from Congress , or either the final realization. from the Prime Minister about the intrinsic fears lurking in the provisions of the laws, this huge announcement is really very welcome, basically because no nation can survive for long by keeping food donors unhappy and agitated; for the peasants it is the final victory; the success of democratic movements; and for the BJP a favorable factor to seal the elections to the assembly. As has been widely acclaimed, the decision is in fact a political “master coup” on the eve of the assembly elections early next year, which suddenly takes the main voting table away from the opposition political parties, particularly for the tactics of the Congress in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. The opposition has largely welcomed the move, calling it a victory for farmers and marking the end of the ruling party’s ‘arrogance’.

Land reforms have always been a contentious issue in most nations of the world, particularly in India, where agriculture remains the mainstay of the country’s economy. Attempts to reform the agricultural sector have been made since the British period and the post-independence era in India, where many of the reforms proved to be big mistakes, while some seemed to have benefited farmers. Most of the nations of the world have been following a capitalist form of agriculture with a regular subsidy mechanism to help the landholding agricultural phenomenon survive, and the concept of ‘cooperative agriculture’ in the most inclusive sense it’s still a dream. .

The Prime Minister, while staunchly defending the three Farm Bills, failed to mention the fact that many of India’s leading economists and farmers were bitterly divided on the issue: the main fear was that the big capitalists would take over agriculture and put farmers at their mercy for the MSPs. o Guaranteed prices and ending the ownership of farmland by small and marginal farmers. However, inequalities in the farming community continue to exist, some of them are wealthy and enjoy the benefits of technology, while the majority of small and marginal farmers continue to struggle for a subsistence level. Therefore, truly compelling and inclusive reforms are always welcome.

In any case, we wholeheartedly welcome this big announcement from the Prime Minister largely because of the fact that one of the longest turmoil in history, particularly by food donors, is finally coming to an end. The debates must continue for the reforms and one of the main allegations of the opposition parties and other experts and leaders has been the fact that there was no debate before passing these crucial Farm Bills in Parliament. The goal or task is undoubtedly extremely difficult, because in a democracy it is almost impossible to satisfy all stakeholders with a particular policy; however, as we have said, efforts must be intensified democratically, taking everyone into consideration.