The Narendra Modi led BJP government has finally decided to repeal the progressive farm laws that were met with protests from farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Although most of the other parts of the country did not actively participate in the protests, there were numerous cases of political parties from around the country lending support to these protests rather than farmers themselves.

Many experts have claimed that the protests have long lost their organic composition and the whole current agitation seems to be more structured and organised with ulterior motives. Unfortunate incidents like the deaths of farmers during the protest and the running over of farmers by a BJP MLA’s son has only added fuel to the fires. The farmer’s representatives claim that over 700 farmers have died during the protest but have refused to substantiate their claims with any proof.

Despite multiple meetings and negotiations, the Central government was unable to convince the representatives of the farmers that the 3 farm laws that were passed were revolutionary and will ultimately benefit the farmers immensely. Although no official reasons were given on the individual laws, the farmers union stuck to their demand that all 3 laws have to be repealed unconditionally. This left very little room for negotiation as the whole protest had changed tones to become a threat rather than a request.

After trying to agree for over a year, the government finally relented. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a nationally televised broadcast confirmed that the 3 farm laws although very essential in reforming the farming sector and taking it into the future, will be repealed. The constitutional process of cancelling the laws will happen in the monsoon session of parliament.

While most pundits believed that this will signal the end of the 300 plus day protest, it was not to be the case. The farmers have now come up with a new list of 6 demands that include raising of the MSP (Minimum Standard price) of crops, compensation to families who lost a member during the protest, arrest of MoS Mishra, repeal of the new Electricity Act etc. The demands have been issued and the protest has now moved to Uttar Pradesh where the BJP will be fighting an election next year.

The list of now demands has not been officially acknowledged by the government but our sources within the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) have told us that there is a list of further demands as a backup. Many farmers are coming with their own set of demands which will be democratically added to the list.

He also told us that the most common demand that the farmers have been pushing internally is for the government to compensate the farmers for a years loss of crops.

“Many of them became so involved in the protests that they forgot to sow seeds or do any farming activity in the last year. So even if the farm laws are repealed, they will not be able to get any benefit as they don’t have any crops to sell. A group of over 150 farmers have demanded that the SKM and its leader Rakesh Tikait add this to the list of demands. The farmers are demanding compensation that is equivalent to a bumper crop year as a one-time settlement. The economists who are working behind the scenes to support the protest and the demands are working on the formula that will be used to calculate the exact amount that will need to be reimbursed.”

A few other demands are also being pushed by the protestors but have not managed to make it into the higher levels of the protesting management committee. Our source told us that these demands were already being proposed by the protestors once the government decided to negotiate and hold talks with the farmers but were kept back due to various reasons.

Our source continued by telling us, “Some of the other demands include:

BBC documentary narrated by Sir Richard Attenborough