Farm laws scrapped, President gives assent

The three controversial farm laws that provoked a yearlong agitation in Delhi’s borders stood annulled on Wednesday, Dec 1,  with President Ram Nath Kovind giving his assent to the repeal bill. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021 was passed by both the Houses of Parliament on November 29, the first day of the Winter Session days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking on Gurupurab (November 19)  assured the protesting farmers of rollback of the laws. With the Presidential assent today, the bills have become history paving the way for the withdrawal of farmers’ protests. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar again appealed to the agitating farmers to return home, assuring to address the issues related to MSP, crop doversification and zero-budget farming through a committee the PM earlier announced. The government has initiated the process of constitution of the panel which, Tomar said, will have the representatives of farm unions. The ball is now in the court of Samyukta Kisan Morcha which will announce its next move on December 4. The Presidential assent repeals The Farmers Empowerment and Protection Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020; The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce Promotion and Facilitation Act 2020 and The Essential Commodities Amendment Act 2020.