The sudden televised withdrawal of the three contentious farm laws by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19 was as dramatic as pushing through the three Bills by voice vote in the Rajya Sabha in September last year. Gripped by a still-to-be explained urgency, these three laws were issued as Presidential Ordinances in June 2020. 

There is little doubt that Mr. Modi’s hand was forced by the relentless agitation launched by the farmers of Punjab, Western U.P. and Haryana, who have been sitting on Delhi’s borders since November last year, demanding the complete withdrawal of the three laws. The writing on the electoral wall, as many analysts have pointed out, has also been clearly read by the Prime Minister as the states of U.P. and Punjab slip into election mode. 

Farmer leaders, meanwhile, are firm that minimum support price, or MSP, should be given statutory shape by the Centre even as they have deferred a decision on whether or not to withdraw their agitation to the end of November.  

We discuss the future of agricultural reforms in this episode.

Guest: Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj 

Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu 

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