By Matters India Reporter

New Delhi, Nov 19, 2021: In a surprise address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi November 19 announced the repeal of three controversial farm laws that caused massive farmer protests across India.

The announcement came on Guru Purab, the birthday of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism, whose members form the majority of the protesting farmers, especially those camping on the borders of the national capital since November 26, 2020.

The three farm laws are withdrawn ahead of assembly elections in several states. Elections are due in March in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will end their assembly terms by December.

“Maybe something was lacking in our tapasya (penance), which is why we could not convince some farmers about the laws. So we have decided to repeal the three farm laws,” Modi said in his address to the nation.

The prime minister also said that in his five decades of work, he had seen the difficulties faced by the farmers. “When the nation made me the PM, I placed utmost importance to krishi vikas or farmers’ development,” he added.

He said he has given soil health cards to farmers that helped improve agriculture production.

His government has given 1 trillion rupees to farmers as compensation. “Bima and pension to have been provided. There has been direct benefit transfer as well for the farmers,” he claimed.

The prime minister noted that his government has strengthened the rural market infra and raised the Minimum Support Prices for the farm produces.

“Micro-irrigation fund has been doubled as well. Crop loan has been doubled too. Annual budgets have been raised in favor of farmers,” the prime minister noted.

He said the farm laws were brought to help small farmers as his government is committed to farmers’ welfare, especially small farmers.

He regretted that his government did not succeed in convincing the farmers about the farm bills.

“Only a section of them was opposing the laws, but we kept trying to educate, inform them. We tried our best to explain to farmers. We were even ready to modify the laws, suspend them too. The matter reached the Supreme Court as well.”

The farm laws will be repealed during the winter session of the parliament that begins on November 29.