KEY STORY
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday defended the farm laws, saying that the three farm laws were implemented for the benefit of farmers and were repealed in the national interest.
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“I have said this earlier also that farm laws were brought in for the benefit of farmers, but have now been withdrawn in the interest of the nation. I don’t think this needs to be explained anymore. Future events will make it clear why these steps were necessary,” Modi said in an exclusive interview with news agency ANI.
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Modi added that his government always worked for the benefit of the farmers and they always supported him.
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In September 2020, the Union government passed the three farm laws- the three laws enacted were Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
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However, farmers argued that these laws would eliminate the mandi and the minimum support price (MSP) policy, and leave them at the mercy of big corporations.
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The protests against the laws started in November 2020 and took a violent turn several times- most specifically during the tractor rally on Republic Day in 2021.
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Several rounds of talks were held between farmer unions and the Centre but they remained inconclusive.
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Prime Minister Modi announced on November 19 last year that the farm laws would be rolled back and requisite bills were passed to repeal them during the winter session of Parliament. In December, the agitation was suspended.
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On being asked whether the Centre is still open to discussions with farmers over the farm laws, Modi told ANI on Wednesday dialogue and discussion are the basis of democracy.
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In a democracy, it is the primary duty of public representatives to engage in dialogue with the people of the country. Our government has always engaged in these discussions and we are not in favour of stopping them,” he said.
