The Bharatiyan Kisan Union (BKU) Ugrahan faction welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on Friday to repeal three controversial agricultural laws. In a speech to the nation on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, Mr. Modi said that these three agricultural laws will be repealed at the upcoming winter parliamentary meeting. Since last year, various peasant unions have been protesting on the border of the capital, demanding the abolition of three agricultural laws.

Mayawati, chairman of the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP), congratulated the farmers, but called the central government’s move “very late.” BSP supremo also asked for a law to ensure support prices for farmers’ production and financial compensation for relatives of farmers who lost their lives during protests against the three disputed laws. “The sacrifice of the farmers was rewarded. The government eventually withdrew the three controversial laws, but it was too late,” Ms. Mayawati told reporters.

She said that this decision should be made early so that several problems that plague this country can be avoided. “The requirement to formulate national laws to ensure support prices for farmers’ products is still pending. The BSP requires that it should be introduced in the winter meeting of Parliament. The government should accept this requirement,” she said.

The edible oil industry body Solvent Indian Extractors Association said on Friday that the prime minister’s announcement of the repeal of the three agricultural laws was “really frank”, but said India’s agricultural sector must be reformed to increase competitiveness and increase farmers’ income. Atul Chaturvedi, President of SEA, India, said: “Because the farmers’ opposition is firm, these agricultural laws are designed for their benefit.

Our Prime Minister’s announcement of withdrawing from the bill is indeed magnanimous.” He said that if the agricultural sector must improve competitiveness and increase agricultural income, large-scale reforms are urgently needed.

“The current high MSP (minimum support price) will never be sustainable because it will harm consumers,” Mr. Chaturvedi said. He added that the level of agricultural productivity in India is less than 50% of the world average in almost all agricultural products, and it must be increased to increase rural incomes.

News Source : The Hindu