Verum was gazing out of the window, observing the leaves fluttering in the wind and birds taking to the sky as they chirped. Suddenly, she heard a familiar humming sound. She turned to her crystal ball and sure enough, it was time for some world news!
“Mysticals, do you remember that we visited Delhi, the capital of India in December last year?” said Verum.
“Delhi…2020…,” said Orak trying to remember the visit.
“I remember!” replied an excited Scorch, “We briefly went there to witness the farmers’ protests!”
“After protesting for over a year, the farmers have finally tasted victory,” said Verum, “The farmers were protesting the three farm laws passed by the Parliament last year. But now, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the three farm laws will be repealed (removed).”
“That is huge!” said Scorch, “It wasn’t an easy win for the farmers. Whether it was the bitter and polluted Delhi winters, or its harsh summers, or the monsoon rainfall, the farmers continued their protests. About 700 farmers lost their lives while protesting in these difficult conditions.”
“But why were the farmers protesting the farm laws?” said Felix.
“In India, farmers were protected through some rules. There was a Minimum Selling Price (MSP) for the crops that they produced and these crops could only be sold in marketplaces called ‘mandis’. With the new farm laws, this was all set to change. And the farmers weren’t happy about it,” explained Verum.
“Now that the government has conceded and agreed to repeal the laws, have the farmers returned home?” said Scorch.
“Not yet. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) wrote to Prime Minister Modi with six demands. The SKM is a joint body of farmer unions that is leading the protests. It asked Modi to resume talks on these demands,” said Verum.
She added, “Before you ask, the demands include a legal guarantee that the crops will be purchased at the MSP. The SKM has also demanded that the legal cases registered against the farmers during the protests should be withdrawn. And the government should compensate the families of the farmers who lost their lives during the protest.”
“Okay,” said Felix, “Do keep us updated!”