SAMBALPUR: Welcoming the Centre’s decision to repeal the three farm laws on Friday, farmers across Western Odisha said it is just a part of their victory as the minimum support price (MSP) is yet to be legalised.
Convenor of Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSSS) Lingaraj said, “Considering our country’s democracy, it is a victory of the citizens. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to repeal the three black laws in the next Parliament session but unfortunately, it took almost a year and a series of protests across the country besides sacrifice of at least 600 farmers for the government to concede to our demand.”
All the farmer bodies had two major demands - rollback of the farm laws and legal guarantee of MSP. The withdrawal of the laws is a triumph for farmers but the PM should also act on giving legal guarantee to MSP in the Parliament, he said. Lingaraj further said all farmers in the region are happy over the decision of the Union government. But they will not celebrate until the laws are repealed in the Parliament and the demand for legalising MSP is fulfilled.
Saroj, another farmer leader, said had the government taken this decision when the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the three farm laws, lives of many farmers could have been saved. “The three black laws have been withdrawn but the Centre is yet to take steps to accord legal status to MSP. Our fight will continue until all the demands are met,” he added.
Farmer leader of Bargarh district Hara Bania said those who were once calling the agitating farmers as ‘Andolan-jeevi’, ‘Parajeevi’ and ‘Khalisthani’, have now apologised and withdrawn the law after the death of hundreds of agitators. But this is not a total victory as the MSP has not been legalised yet.