A timeline of farmers' protest as PM Modi repeals three farm laws

After sporadic protests against the new farm laws, farmers’ unions in Punjab and Haryana on November 25 called Delhi Chalo. (Representative image)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19 announced that the Union government has decided to repeal the three contentious laws relating to the agricultural sector that farmers had been protesting against. Addressing the nation on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, Modi said the three laws had been brought for the benefit of farmers. Their goal was to empower agriculturists, especially small farmers, but “we couldn't convince a section of farmers despite best efforts”, he said

Parliament had passed the three laws—the 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—in September 2020.

The laws were at the centre of protests by farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, for over the past one year. Here’s a quick look at the timeline of the farmers’ protest and how it unfolded.

November 2020: The protest begins

After sporadic protests against the new farm laws that began in September 2020, the agitation intensified including a nationwide road blockade on November 3. Farmers’ unions in Punjab and Haryana on November 25 called for Delhi Chalo, a march on the capital. Delhi Police rejected the farmers’ request to be allowed to enter the city, citing Covid-19 protocols, but the farmers pressed on, braving water cannons and teargas.

Soon, the farmers’ protest grabbed nationwide attention. On November 28, the government offered to hold talks with the unions.

Also read | Explained: What are the three farm laws and what made them controversial?

December 2020: Talks begin between farmers and the Centre

The government held the first round of talks with farmers’ representatives but it was inconclusive. In the next few months, 11 rounds of talks were held between the two sides but these too failed to arrive at a solution.

On December 8, farmers gave a call for a Bharat Bandh and three days later, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) moved the Supreme Court against the three farm laws. After a brief review, the Supreme Court hinted at constituting a government panel to end the deadlock over the controversial bills.

The sixth round of talks in the last week of December saw a little progress with the government agreeing to exempt farmers from penalties on burning crop waste and also dropping changes proposed in the Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020.

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January 2021: Protest intensifies

The seventh round of talks between the government and farmer leaders held in the first week of January could not break the deadlock. On January 11, the Supreme Court said it would constitute a committee led by a former chief justice of India to resolve the deadlock.

On Republic Day, thousands of protestors clashed with the police in Delhi during a tractor parade called by farmers’ unions. At Red Fort, a section of protesters climbed poles and walls and hoisted the Nishan Sahib flag, a Sikh religious symbol.

February 2021: International attention, chakka jam, and more

The protest garnered not just national but international support. Tweets by renowned pop star Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg in favour of the farmers stirred up a hornet’s nest. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau too jumped in, supporting the right of farmers to hold peaceful protests in India. In several countries, people of Indian origin came out in support of the protesters. The government, however, slammed “celebrities and others” for their comments, calling them “neither accurate nor responsible”.

On February 6, farmers staged a nationwide 'chakka jam', or road blockade, for three hours from 12 noon to 3 pm. On February 9, Punjabi actor-turned-activist Deep Sindhu, named as an accused in the Republic Day violence case, was arrested by Delhi Police’s Special Cell. On February 14, the Delhi Police arrested 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi for allegedly “editing” a toolkit shared by Thunberg.

March 2021: 100 days of protest

Farmers completed their 100th days of protest at Delhi’s borders on March 6. Two days later, gunshots were reported near the Singhu border protest site.

April 2021: Protest continued amid COVID-19 pandemic

Farmers continued their protests despite the brutal second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the nation. The Union and Haryana governments had urged farmers to vacate the protest sites in view of the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in the country. However, farmers’ unions alleged that the government was trying to use the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to quell their agitation.

May 2021: ‘Black Day’

Farmers observed a ‘black day’ to mark six months of the agitation on May 27, and burned effigies of the government. BKU leader Rakesh Tikait, during a press conference, also reiterated that farmers would call off the protest only when the three farm laws were repealed.

June 2021: Seven months of protest

Farmers marched to Delhi to mark seven months of protest against the farm laws. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers’ unions, alleged that farmers were detained during the protests in states like Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.

July 2021: Kisan Sansad kicks off

Condemning the three laws, some farmers started a parallel “monsoon session” Bharatiya Kisan Union Kisan Sansad Bharatiya Kisan Union near Parliament House. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached Parliament on a tractor to show support to protesting farmers. Members of opposition parties staged protests in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the House complex.

August 2021: Opposition parties united, lathi charge on farmers, etc.

Leaders of 14 opposition parties met at Parliament House. At the meeting, they decided to visit the Kisan Sansad at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

On August 28, Haryana Police cracked down on farmers in Karnal, leaving several injured in a lathi charge at the Bastara toll plaza on the national highway when they were protesting against a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meeting on the forthcoming panchayat polls.

September 2021: Kisan mahapanchayat

In a major show of strength, thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states gathered at Muzaffarnagar for a ‘Kisan mahapanchayat’ on September 5.

The SKM appealed to people to join the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called on September 27 to protest against the agri laws.

October 2021: Lakhimpur Kheri violence

Eight people were killed in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. Four of the eight victims were farmers, who were allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers while the former were protesting against the three farm laws.

November 2021: Punjab resolution, and repeal of laws

On November 11, the Punjab Assembly adopted a resolution against the Centre’s three contentious farm laws, claiming that it had unlawfully ventured into the domain of the state government.

On November 12, Haryana home minister Anil Vij asked farmers protesting against the laws to consider a change of leadership saying that those in charge had “failed” to resolve their issues even after almost a year-long agitation.

A Delhi court directed Delhi Police on November 18 to file a status report on a plea seeking a first information report against Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar for allegedly inciting BJP members to use criminal force against the protesting farmers the previous month.

On November 19, PM Modi announced that the government had decided to repeal the three farm laws. In the coming Parliament session, the Centre will take constitutional measures to repeal these farm laws, the PM said.

BKU’s Tikait, however, said the protest would not be stopped immediately but only after farm laws were repealed in Parliament.

(With inputs from agencies)