President Ram Nath Kovind signed a bill to cancel the Centre's three controversial farm laws on Wednesday. The three laws have been repealed in the fastest way in recent years due to protests by the opposition parties, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The bill was passed with a voice vote by the Parliament amid protests by the Congress and TMC members. The repeal of these three legislations is one of the main demands of around 40 farmer unions protesting at various Delhi border points since November 26, 2020.
The winter session of Parliament is scheduled to conclude on December 23.
In a special address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi announced on November 19 that all three farm laws will be repealed in the Winter Session, saying that the legislatures were brought in place for the welfare of farmers, especially small farmers, but his government could not explain the benefits to some of them despite his efforts.
The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce Promotion and Facilitation Act, The Farmers' Empowerment and Protection Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act and The Essential Commodities Amendment Act are the three laws.
Around 40 farmer unions protesting against these reforms at various Delhi border points have been protesting the repeal of these three legislations for nearly a year.
The laws, which have been suspended in January due to a Supreme Court order, had caused widespread protests by thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
The protests that started in November 2020 are still going strong. The unions want a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price MSP for crops, among other demands.