Cabinet approves bill to repeal three farm laws; bill to be tabled in Parliament in winter session

The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 has been approved days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to repeal the three central farm laws. Besides this, Parliament is scheduled to take 25 other bills, including one on crypto currencies.

The repeal of the three farm legislations has been one of the key demands of around 40 farmer unions protesting against these reforms for nearly a year now.

These laws, which are under suspension following a Supreme Court order in January this year, had triggered widespread protests by thousands of farmers mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh at Delhi borders.

The protest started at the fag-end of November 2020, and is still continuing.

On November 21, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) — joint body of farmer unions leading the current protests — had written to the Prime Minister to immediately resume talks on the farmers’ six demands including legal guarantee for the procurement of crops at minimum support price (MSP).

The other demands were sacking and arrest of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, withdrawal of cases against farmers and building of a memorial for those who lost their lives during the agitation.