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PM Modi's announcement on farm laws: BKU to decide 'further course of action'
"There are several issues attached to the protest such as many lives of protesting farmers were lost and they had to face cases from the government, we need answers on that too," said BKU leader.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that the central government will scrap the three farm legislation that had fuelled countrywide protests by the farmers. However, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), a constituent of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) - an umbrella organisation of 32 farm bodies that have been spearheading the protests since November last year - remained wary and said the Union government has not spoken to them directly as of yet.
"There is no official communication to the SKM or any of its constituents. We have been seeking the repeal since these laws were passed last year and the Union Government has not spoken to us now, they should have," said Balbir Singh Rajewal, BKU president.
The group also said that they will hold a meeting soon to work out a further course of action. "There are several issues attached to the protest such as many lives of protesting farmers were lost and they had to face cases from the government, we need answers on that too," Rajewal added.
Meanwhile, in the ANI report, BKU leader Joginder Singh praised said: "Decision to repeal farm laws is a good move by PM Modi on Gurupurab."
The SKM issued a statement where if welcomed the decision, but said it will wait for the announcement to take effect through due parliamentary procedures. "Agitation not just against new farm laws, demand on statutory guarantee for remunerative prices for crops still pending," SKM said in a statement.
A farm activist from Punjab's Ambala, popularly known as water cannon boy, Navdeep Singh Jalbhera also asserted that they "will not return home and the fight will continue." "MSP's fight for survival continues, the fight to show our status by bowing to an arrogant like you, the fight to show who we are is on!" he tweeted.
The contentious farm laws are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. According to the announcement, the Centre will scrap the laws in the upcoming winter session of the parliament. “The purpose of the new laws was to strengthen the country’s farmers, especially small farmers,” he said during a televised address. "We have failed to convince some farmers despite all our efforts," PM Modi added.
