Repeal of farm laws defeat of arrogance of power; announcement made with eye on polls: Shiv Sena

Mumbai, November 20

The Shiv Sena on Saturday described the Centre’s announcement to repeal the three contentious farm laws as the “defeat of arrogance of power”, and said it was done as the BJP feared a backlash in the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to withdraw the laws is a victory of the farmers’ unity, an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said, adding that this “wisdom” is a result of the BJP’s loss in the recently-held bypolls in 13 states.

The prime minister, in an address to the nation on Friday morning, announced the government’s decision to repeal the three farm laws, which were at the centre of protests by farmers for the last one year.

“The Union government suppressed the voice of the opposition and got the three farm bills passed in Parliament. The Centre completely ignored the farmers’ protests. Supply of water and electricity was snapped at the protest sites. During their struggle, the farmers were even labelled as Khalistanis, Pakistanis and terrorists,” the Sena said.

Despite all this, the farmers did not budge from their demand of the withdrawal of the laws. Hundreds of farmers died during the protests. A Union minister’s son “crushed farmers under his vehicle” at Lakhimpur Kheri, but PM Modi did not even condole their deaths, it added.

“But after realising that the farmers won’t end their protest and sensing BJP’s defeat in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, the Modi government decided to repeal the laws. This is a victory of the farmers’ unity,” it said.

At least in future, the Centre should shun arrogance before bringing such laws, and take the opposition parties into confidence for the welfare of the country, the Sena said. PTI