Farms laws repealed in view of upcoming Assembly polls: Sitaram Yechury

After PM Modi's announcement repealing three farm laws, Yechury on Friday said that the decision has been taken in view of the upcoming Assembly polls in five states early next year.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement repealing three farm laws, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Friday said that the decision has been taken in view of the upcoming Assembly polls in five states early next year.

He further termed the Centre's announcement as "victory of Samyukta Kisan Morcha's year-old struggle."

Speaking to ANI, Yechury said, "After one year, PM Modi came to know that people are not accepting this law. This is the victory of the bravery with which the Samyukta Kisan Morcha fought for one year against these laws. More than 750 farmers were martyred and PM did not speak a word about this martyrdom."

"There is no condolence about the atrocities committed on farmers in the manner in which they have been oppressed in Lakhimpur Kheri. Since the past one year, Centre kept on saying that the agriculture laws would not be withdrawn, but now the government withdrew them keeping the Assembly elections in mind," said Yechury.

Yechury further termed the Centre's decision to withdraw the three farm laws as the "historic victory of farmers" who had been agitating for the past one year.

Yechury stated, "Today, the Prime Minister has to understand that this historic victory belongs to our Annadatas. Our farmers and those who have struggled till date, they have never turned back or looked back so we salute our farmers for this bravery to achieve such a historic victory."

"Now with the withdrawal of the three farm laws, our Annadata is demanding that farmers should get the legal right to sell the agricultural product at MSP. That right will have to be implemented legally in Parliament," he added

In a major move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced the repealing of the three Central farm laws. In his address to the nation, PM Modi said, "Today I want to tell everyone that we have decided to repeal all three farm laws."

Farmers have been protesting the Centre's three farm laws since they were passed in 2020.

The three farm laws are -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act provides for setting up a mechanism allowing the farmers to sell their farm produces outside the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs).Any licence-holder trader can buy the produce from the farmers at mutually agreed prices. This trade of farm produces will be free of mandi tax imposed by the state governments.

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act allows farmers to do contract farming and market their produces freely.

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act is an amendment to the existing Essential Commodities Act.

Notably, the announcement of the repeal of the three farm laws comes ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur scheduled to be held early next year.

Among these states, farmers from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh were protesting across Delhi's borders for the past one year.

Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and UP had arrived at the Delhi border on November 26, 2020, demanding the repeal of three farm laws.