CHANDIGARH: The three farm laws brought in by the Union government last year that are going to be repealed were flawed in design and content in terms of protecting farmers' interests, say leading agriculture experts.
Talking to The New Indian Express, a leading agriculture expert Dr Sukhpal Singh said, "It is good that these laws have been withdrawn. They were flawed in design and content in term of protection of farmers' interests. For example, the contract farming act had allowed cooperative farming through leasing of land which is illegal in many states today. The farmers produce and trade act also was flawed as it allowed anybody to buy the farmers' produce with only a PAN card without any counter-party risk guarantee. These laws were not good for the country as there are lots of small and marginal farmers and agriculture workers who depend on the farm sector for their livelihood."
Another agriculture expert Devinder Sharma too welcomed the decision. "It is very heartening that these three farm laws will be withdrawn after PM Modi's announcement. As of now, half the battle is won. If we have to pull out farmers from agrarian crises, then the government has to provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers as a legal right in a framework, so that their income is guaranteed. That will be an actual reform in the farming sector. These laws were flawed from day one and I have been saying this they were just cut and paste from failed farm laws abroad in US and Canada. The farmers' income would never have been doubled. Finally, good sense has prevailed," he said.
Meanwhile, legal experts say that the government has to bring an Act in Parliament to repeal these laws.
Leading legal luminary and senior advocate of Punjab and Haryana High Court RS Cheema said, "The manner in which this decision has been announced clearly demonstrates that it is dictated by political expediency and the convenient course is to promulgate an ordinance for the purpose. Of course the final stamp will be put by an act of Parliament."
Another leading lawyer GPS Dhillon said the government can repeal the three laws through a single bill but it has to bring a bill in this regard in Parliament and get it passed, which will be an act later.
SKM says it will wait for laws to be formally repealed
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has welcomed the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repeal the three farm laws his government passed last year but said it will wait for them to be formally repealed in Parliament.
Morcha leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal, Dr Darshan Pal and Gurnam Singh Charuni said that the Samyukt Kisan Morcha welcomes this decision and will wait for the announcement to take effect through due parliamentary procedures. "If this happens, it will be a historic victory of the one-year-long farmers’ struggle in India," they added.
"This important demand of farmers is still pending. So also, is the withdrawal of the electricity amendment Bill. The SKM will take note of all developments, hold its meeting soon and announce further decisions," the leaders said.
"Nearly 700 farmers have been martyred in this struggle. The Centre’s obstinacy is responsible for these avoidable deaths, including the murders at Lakhimpur Kheri,” they added.
BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) General Secretary Sukhdev Kokari Kalan termed the repeal of the three farm laws a victory of the people’s struggle. "People who fought against black laws have won today. We will follow the SKM’s decision regarding the agitation," he said.