The year-long protests by some farmer organisations against the three farm laws came to an end today after the union government agreed to all demands by them. After the three farm reform laws were withdrawn, the Modi government further gave in to the protests and agreed to consider the demand for a lawn on Minimum Support Price (MSP), after which the Samyukt Kisan Morcha decided to call off the protest.
The agitating farmer unions have decided to vacate the borders in Delhi it is occupying for more than a year, and will return home on 11 December. However, some farmers have already started dismantling the camps that they had built on the highways on the Delhi border, and some of them may start leaving from today itself.
Farmers start removing tents from their protest site in Singhu on Delhi-Haryana. pic.twitter.com/LN5mvcYExC
— Prasar Bharati News Services पी.बी.एन.एस. (@PBNS_India) December 9, 2021
It is notable that the protestors had set up semi-permanent camps and tents at the protest sites, apart from parking hundreds of trucks used as camps, where they were living for over a year. The Delhi government had provided them with utility connections to facilitate the protest camps.
Reportedly, the farmers will take out victory marches on 11 December at the Singhu and Tikri protest sites to their homes. However, farmers have warned that they will resume the protests if their demands are not met.
“We have decided to suspend our agitation. We will hold a review meeting on 15 January. If the government does not fulfil its promises, we could resume our agitation,” said farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni following a meeting of Samyukta Kisan Morcha. He also informed that the farmers will vacate the protest sites on December 11.
Protesting farmers will vacate the protest sites on December 11: Farmer leader Darshan Pal Singh pic.twitter.com/Ftg76o7Rd1
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2021
The decision to end or suspend the protests came after the union government wrote a letter today to the leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha. In the letter, the agriculture ministry has promised to form a committee to discuss the demand for a law on MSP. The committee will comprise representatives of the central government, state governments, farmer organisations and agriculture scientists. The govt also made it clear that representatives of SKM will be included in the committee.
Protesting farmers receive a letter from Govt of India, with promises of forming a committee on MSP and withdrawing cases against them immediately
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2021
"As far as the matter of compensation is concerned, UP and Haryana have given in-principle consent," it reads pic.twitter.com/CpIEJGFY4p
The letter also informed that on the demand of withdrawing cases filed against the protestors during the protests, UP, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana governments have already agreed to the same. All cases related to the farmer protests will be withdrawn immediately. Along with that, cases filed against protestors by central agencies and agencies from Delhi and other union territories will also be withdrawn.
On the demand for compensation, the agriculture ministry informed that Haryana and UP governments have agreed to it in principle. The Punjab government has also announced the withdrawal of cases and payment of compensation.
The letter stated that the government will hold discussions with all stakeholders and SKM on the provisions of the electricity bill that can have effects on the farmers. The bill be presented in the parliament only after discussions with the SKM.
The government also informed that it has already exempted the farmers from criminal liability for causing air pollution by burning stubble.
The letter by the agriculture ministry stated that with these assurances, all five demands of the farmers have been met, and there is no reason to continue with the protests.
