The Union government and farmers’ groups have broadly reached a settlement on five out of the six pending demands of protesting farmers, following which the year-long protest at Delhi’s borders were called off Thursday, Dec 9. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers’ groups leading the protests, received a letter Thursday from the government with revised proposals to resolve their pending demands. The letter was signed by Sanjay Agarwal, secretary to the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.

However, the government letter is silent on the SKM’s demand for the removal of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on 3 October.

The SKM said in a statement Thursday that it “formally announces the lifting of the morchas at Delhi borders on national highways and various other locations”.

“The current agitation stands suspended… The SKM dedicates the fabulous and historic victory of the struggle to around 715 martyrs of the movement, including those in Lakhimpur Kheri. SKM congratulates all the protesting farmers and citizens, and their supporters, wholeheartedly for waging an unprecedented struggle and for the glorious gains of the movement,” it added.

Yogendra Yadav, a social activist and member of the SKM, told reporters, “In some form or the other, farmers will have to continue their struggle. The issue of MSP is alive, the fear of (increasing) electricity bills is also real, Ajay Mishra still continues to be a member of the Cabinet. All these issues are there. So, we will continue our struggle but for some time we are suspending everything (demonstrations).”

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, also a member of the SKM, said that there would be a review meeting on 15 January in which all unresolved issues would be assessed — including the unfulfilled demand regarding the removal of Mishra.

The three controversial farm laws that primarily triggered the protests were repealed by the Modi government in the ongoing winter session.

Farm laws and six demands

The three controversial laws were the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. When they were enacted, the Opposition had accused the government of pushing them through without discussion.

While the Union government said the laws sought to open up the country’s food market to greater participation of private players and bring much-needed reforms to the agriculture sector, farmers’ groups said they would favour big corporations and affect the livelihoods of farmers.

Protests against the laws started in Punjab and eventually spread to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, and several other states. Large groups of protesters gathered at Delhi’s borders — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur — and remained there for a year. The SKM said Thursday that the farmers at Delhi’s borders would return home on 11 December. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the withdrawal of the three contentious farm laws on 19 November. Parliament passed a Bill to repeal them on 29 November without any debate.

However, the farmers continued their protests after the laws were repealed. They maintained their demand for a law guaranteeing MSP. This is the minimum rate at which the government is supposed to procure foodgrains (applicable on 23 crops) from farmers. It currently operates broadly as a policy measure without statutory backing.

Farmers’ groups also demanded the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers across states during the agitation. Most of these involved charges such as rioting and unlawful assembly.

Additionally, they demanded exemption from criminal liability under anti-pollution laws for burning crop stubble, compensation for the families of farmers who died during the protests, and the withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, scheduled to be tabled in Parliament in the ongoing session. In addition, the farmers demanded the sacking of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. On 3 October, a convoy that included a vehicle owned by the minister with his son as one of the suspected passengers, allegedly ran over a group of protesting farmers, triggering violence. A total of 8 people were killed.

The SKM and the Union government, farmer leaders and government officials told ThePrint, had negotiated for the past two days before they reached a settlement. The proposals were sent back and forth several times between the government and a five-member negotiating team from the SKM, they added.   Source: The Print

How the events unfolded

June 5, 2020: The Farmer’s (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 – These three farm laws were promulgated by the Centre as ordinances.

September 14, 2020: All three ordinances were brought to the Parliament.

September 17, 2020: The three ordinances were passed in the Lok Sabha.

September 20, 2020: The ordinances were passed in the Rajya Sabha despite protest by the Opposition.

September 24, 2020: Three-day rail roko agitation was announced by the farmers in Punjab.

September 26, 2020: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) quitted the National Democratic Alliance over the farm bills.

September 27, 2020: President Ram Nath Kovind gives his assent for the three acts passed in the Parliament.

October 4, 2020: Supreme Court sought a response from the Centre over a bunch of pleas that challenged the constitutional validity of the three acts.

November 25, 2020: Farmers – mainly from western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana – call for the ‘Delhi Chalo’ movement.

November 26, 2020: Farmers, who were marching towards Delhi, face police on the borders of the national capital. After being not allowed to enter the city-state, the farmers staged a sit-in on Delhi borders.

November 28, 2020: Union Home Minister Amit Shah offered the farmers to hold talks with the Centre.

November 29, 2020: In Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi asked farmers to end their agitation, and said his government has “fulfilled their promises”.

December 3, 2020: Centre and farmers held the first round of talks, but it failed to end the deadlock.

December 5, 2020: Second round of talks between the government and Farmers was held.

December 9, 2020: Farmers rejected Centre’s proposal to amend the farm laws.

December 11, 2020: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) moves Supreme Court against the acts.

December 16, 2020: The Supreme Court said that it may form a committee to end the deadlock between the Centre and the farmers.

December 30, 2020: Sixth round of talks was held between the Centre and farmers.

January 4, 2021: Seventh round of talks was held between the Centre and farmers.

January 12, 2021: The Supreme Court stays implementation of the farm laws.

January 26, 2021: Delhi turned into a battlefield on Republic Day after clashes erupted between farmers and Delhi Police personnel.

January 28, 2021: At the Delhi-Ghazipur border, the Ghaziabad district administration issues an order to the farmers to vacate the site by night.

January 29, 2021: The government proposed to suspend the farm laws for one-and-half years and set up a joint committee to discuss the legislation. The farmers rejected the proposal.

February 6, 2021: Farmers hold a nationwide ‘Chakka Jam’.

February 18, 2021: Farmers call for nationwide ‘rail roko’ agitation.

March 06, 2021: Farmers complete 100 days at Delhi’s borders.

March 8, 2021: Gunshots are fired near the Singhu border protest site. No one is injured.

April 15, 2021: Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to resume talks with farmers.

May 27, 2021: Farmers observe ‘black day’ as their protest completes six months.

June 5, 2021: Farmers observe Sampoorn Krantikari Diwas.

June 26, 2021: Farmers march to Delhi to mark seven months of protest against the farm laws.

July 22 2021: Farmers started protesting in parallel ‘Monsoon Session’ of Parliament

August 7, 2021: Leaders of 14 opposition parties meet at Parliament House and decide to visit Kisan Sansad at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

September 5, 2021: Months to go for the Uttar Pradesh election, challenging the BJP-led NDA, farmer leaders stage a major show of strength in Muzaffarnagar.

October 22, 2021: Supreme Court says that farmers have the right to protest but roads cannot be blocked indefinitely causing hindrance to public movement. It also asked the farmer unions to file a reply on the plea seeking removal of the protesting farmers from roads.

October 29, 2021: The Delhi Police starts removing barricades from the Ghazipur border where farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s agri laws.

November 19, 2021: PM Modi announces Centre’s decision to repeal the three farm laws. Farmers still remained firm on their agitation.

November 29, 2021: A bill was passed in Parliament to repeal the three contentious farm laws, one of the main demands of the protesting farmers.

December 7, 2021: Centre sends a draft proposal to farmers agreeing to some of their demands.

December 8, 2021: Farmers send back proposals citing flaws, demanding that a formal communication of government letterhead to be sent to them.

December 9, 2021: Centre sends a fresh proposal, farmer leaders meet and decide to call off protest, set December 11 deadline for vacating borders.