On Prime Minister Narendra’s Announcement of repeal of farm laws

After remaining adamant for more than a year on not repealing the farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged in his address to the nation on November 19th, the 552nd birth anniversary of the First Master of the Sikhs Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, that there was widespread resentment among the farmers over the farm laws , and announced the laws will be repealed. Hopefully, the announcement will end a painful period in the lives of the farmers of India who lost 700 of their brethren during a year and a half of protest against the farm laws, besides untold suffering the protesters and their families went through.

One man who with his plain-speak has endeared himself to farmers and all right thinking people across the world is Satya Pal Malik, Governor of Meghalaya who despite  being a Modi appointee, warned Modi government of consequences of having a confrontation with the farmers, and always asserted  that he would prefer to stand with the farmers rather than stay glued to his cushy job.

The farmers’ protest has united the farmers over a large part of north India. A number of leaders, including Rakesh Tikait, have emerged as potential power centers and have all the opportunity to lead farmers to political power. It is well to recall the well-known and strong leaders like Chaudhary Charan Singh in Uttar Pradesh and Devi Lal in Haryana who wielded political power on the strength of the farming community that they belonged to.

Indians abroad must be feeling vindicated for their support to the protesting farmers in India. Some of them including Darshan Singh Dhaliwal in the US had their OCI cards revoked and they were not allowed to enter India for their support to protesting farmers. Government of India should now restore their OCI cards and visas and welcome  them to India. And this decision should be taken now.

Good to see sanity prevail.

Happy Guru Nanak Jayanti!