I urge farmers to end their agitation and go home, says Agriculture Minister

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday urged the farmers protesting against three farm laws on different borders of Delhi to end their agitation and go home as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced to repeal these laws.

"The bill to repeal the three farm laws will be tabled in the Parliament on the first day of the winter session (on November 29). PM Narendra Modi has announced to constitute a committee to deliberate on the issues of crop diversification, zero-budget farming, and making the MSP system more transparent and effective. This committee will have representatives from farmers' organizations," Tomar told ANI.

"With the constitution of this committee, farmers' demand on MSP stands fulfilled. Farmer organizations had demanded to decriminalize stubble burning by farmers. The Government of India has accepted this demand as well," he said.

"After the announcement of the repeal of the three farm laws, there is no point in continuing farmers' agitation. I urge farmers to end their agitation and go home," he said.

Farmers have been protesting against the farm laws on various borders of Delhi since November 26, 2020. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will bring necessary bills in the winter session of Parliament beginning later this month to repeal the farm laws. The Prime Minister also said that the government will constitute a committee to work on a new framework for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 has been listed for introduction and passage. It is among 26 new bills on the agenda of the government. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 seeks to repeal the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance, Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

However, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said that farmers will go home after the government accepts their demand for a law on Minimum Support Price (MSP).

"We will withdraw our protest and will go home after the government accepts our demand for law on Minimum Support Price (MSP). We don`t have the intention to stay put at Delhi border till January 26. If the government accepts our demand on MSP and compensation for 750 farmers who died during the protest, then we will go back home," Tikait had said.