Former MP and farmer leader Raju Shetti on Friday called the Centre's decision to repeal the three contentious agricultural laws a victory of farmers, saying that they forced a powerful leader bow down through their peaceful protest.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his address to the nation on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti on Friday morning, announced that the government has decided to repeal the three farm laws, which were at the centre of protests by farmers for the past year. He said the government will complete the constitutional process to repeal these laws in the upcoming Parliament session starting at the end of this month.
Talking to PTI, Shetti said, "If we want to describe the protest by the farmers, we can say that the farmers by protesting peacefully against the agricultural laws for one year made a powerful leader bow down and forced the government to withdraw the laws, which were brought for the benefit of a handful of people." It is historic to make the government withdraw the laws by protesting in a peaceful manner, he said.
"This victory of farmers has once again proved that the country truly believes in democratic values," the former parliamentarian said.
When asked whether the Centre has decided to repeal the laws in view of the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, he answered in the affirmative.
"Even if the effect of the (farmers') protest was receding, it seems they (BJP) have done some survey in the poll-bound northern states, which might have revealed that the farmers are unhappy and that is why they have taken this decision," he said.
Shetti added that even if the decision to repeal the laws has been taken presuming that farmers will now support the government and the ruling party, the situation is not like that.
"Because several farmers lost their lives and were run over by vehicles. Also, efforts were made to defame the entire agitation...Farmers will not forget all these things easily," he added.
Ajit Navale, general secretary of All India Kisan Sabha, also called the government's decision a victory of the farmers' agitation.
"This is a victory of farmers and various farmers' unions, organisations, who for last one year protested against these laws peacefully and by adhering to the democratic framework," he said.
He said he salutes all the farmers who continued to protest on Delhi borders for the last one year.
