Repeal of farm laws: A chronology of farmers protest
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced to repeal the three controversial Farm laws, which triggered protest by the farmers.
Farmers protesting in and around New Delhi celeberated the news after the Modi’s announcement.
The three farm laws are Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.
Following is the chronology of events since the farm laws were introduced as ordinances:
June 5, 2020: The government promulgates three ordinances.
July-August 2020: Protests erupt in parts of Punjab against the three farm laws.
September 14, 2020: Government introduces the three bills in Lok Sabha
September 15, 17, 2020: Lok Sabha passes all the three farm laws without much debate.
September 20, 22, 2020: Rajya Sabha passes the bills by voice vote
September 24, 2020: Famers in Punjab declare a rail-roko agitation
September 27, 2020: Farm bills notified in the Gazette of India and become farm laws after the president’s assent.
November 2020: Samyukta Kisan Morcha formed, which is a consortium of more than two dozen farmers’ organisation, mostly from Punjab but others join in too
November 26, 2020: Farmers’ march towards Delhi begins, police put hurdles in many ways, including by digging up highways and spreading nails on the roads
November 27, 2020: Farmers in large numbers reach Singhu border, Tikri border, Ghazipur border bring in tractors and trolleys
November 28, 2020: Government offers to talk with a condition that farmers shift to Burari; farmers demand Ram Lila Maidan as the venue
December 3, 2020: Government holds first round of talks with representatives of farmers but the meeting remains inconclusive.
December 5, 2020: Second round of talks between farmers but no result.
December 8, 2020: Farmers call for Bharat Bandh. Farmers from other states also gave their support to the call.
December 9, 2020: Farmer leaders reject the Union government’s proposal to amend the three laws.
December 11, 2020: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) moves the Supreme Court against the agri laws.
December 30, 2020: Sixth round of talks between government and farmer leaders see some headway.
January 4, 2021: Seventh round of talks between government and farmer leaders also remain inconclusive
January 7, 2021: The SC agrees to hear petitions challenging the new laws and those against the protests on January 11.
January 11, 2021: The SC raps the Centre for its handling of the farmers’ protest.
January 12, 2021: The SC stays implementation of the farm laws; sets up a four-member committee to make recommendations on the laws.
January 26, 2021: On Republic Day, protesting farmers clash with police during the tractor parade called by farmer unions. At Red Fort, property is damaged. A protester dies in the chaos.
January 29, 2021: Government proposes to suspend the farm laws for one-and-half years and sets up a joint committee to discuss the legislation. The farmers, reject the proposal.
February 5, 2021: The Delhi Police’s cybercrime cell registers an FIR against creators of a ‘toolkit’ on farmer protests, which was shared by Greta Thunberg.
February 6, 2021: Protesting farmers hold a nationwide ‘Chakka Jam’, for three hours from 12 noon to 3
pm.
March 6, 2021: Farmers complete 100 days at Delhi’s borders.
March 8, 2021: Gunshots are fired near the Singhu border protest site. No one is injured.
May 27, 2021: Farmers observe a ‘black day’ to mark six months of the agitation, and burn effigies of the government.
June 5, 2021: Protesting farmers observe Sampoorn Krantikari Diwas to mark the first year of the promulgation of the farm laws.
June 26, 2021: Farmers march to Delhi to mark seven months of protest against the farm laws.
July 22, 2021: About 200 protesting farmers start a parallel “Monsoon Session”, Kisan Sansad, near the Parliament House.
August 7, 2021: Leaders of 14 opposition parties meet at Parliament House and decide to visit Kisan Sansad at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
September 5, 2021: Months to go for the Uttar Pradesh election, challenging the BJP-led NDA, farmer leaders stage a major show of strength in Muzaffarnagar.
October 22, 2021: The SC observes it was not against people’s right to protest even on matters that are sub-judice but makes it clear that such protesters cannot block public roads indefinitely.
October 29, 2021: The Delhi Police starts removing barricades from Ghazipur border where farmers have been protesting.
November 19, 2021: PM Narendra Modi announces the repeal of the farm laws.
November 19, 2021: Farmer leaders say will wait for repeal of laws in Parliament.