Decision to repeal ‘black’ farm laws victory of longest peaceful struggle: Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of repealing the three farm laws was “a victory of the longest peaceful struggle” of farmers.Modi on Friday 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.Channi said in a tweet, “Decision to repeal 3 black farm laws is victory of longest peaceful people’s struggle that was started by farmers in Punjab. My salute to the Annadata.”

Addressing the nation on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, the prime minister said the three laws were for the benefit of farmers but “we couldn’t convince a section of farmers despite best efforts”.Hundreds of farmers have been camping at the three Delhi borders since November 2020 with the demand that the government repeal the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.They have also been demanding a new law to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.The Centre, which held 11 rounds of formal dialogue with farmers, had maintained that the new laws are pro-farmer, while protesters claim they would be left at the mercy of corporations because of the legislations.