After spending more than a year at Delhi’s borders, predominantly at Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur borders, protesting the three agri laws implemented by the government, the farmers have finally decided to end their agitation that began on November 26, 2020. The announcement was made by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of farmers’ union which has been at the forefront of the agitation. The decision was made at a meeting at Singhu Border on December 9. SKM also announced that the protesters would vacate the Delhi borders on December 11. 

According to the press release by SKM, farmers will take out celebratory and victory rallies on December 11 when the farmers will leave the morcha sites together.

As per news reports, this announcement comes after the receipt of a formal letter from the government which accepted all the demands put forth by the farmers. This includes the unconditional withdrawal of police cases lodged against the protestors during the agitation and payment of compensation to the families of farmers who died during the course of the movement in the last one year. 

Also Read: Parliament passes Bill to repeal the three Farm Laws

Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Western Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh had been protesting at Delhi’s borders since November 26, 2020 against the three agri laws – The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The farmers’ protest at the capital’s borders has completed 378 days. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on November 19 had announced the withdrawal of the contentious farm laws in the winter session of the Parliament. The Farm Laws Repeal Act, 2021 was finally passed on November 29, 2021. 

Also Read: Farmers’ protest completes one year; 90-yo Bhagwan Kaur has been camping for a year now

Following the lines of the Punjab government, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh state governments have also agreed to provide a compensation of Rs 5,00,00 and a job to the kin of the deceased farmers. According to news reports, Punjab farmer leaders have also announced they will withdraw protests from different parts of Punjab on December 15. All the toll plazas, malls, reliance petrol pumps – where the farmers were protesting- will also be cleared. 

Key demands of the protesting farmers:

1. Withdrawal of agitation-related cases registered against the farmers during the protest in all states and union territories. 
2. Payment of compensation to the families of the agitating farmers who passed away during the course of protest 
3. No criminal liability to farmers in stubble burning cases 
4. Discussion of the Electricity Amendment Bill with SKM and other farmers’ unions before introducing it in the Parliament.
5. Setting up of a committee to discuss minimum support price (MSP). SKM will list out their members in the panel and provide it to the farmers. 
6. Continuation of the ongoing MSP policy and its procurement in the country.

Also Read: WATCH: Couldn’t convince farmers about their benefits, have decided to repeal the farm laws, says PM Modi