Non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parties in Kerala have hailed the Centre’s decision to withdraw the controversial agriculture reform laws as a decisive victory for the agitating farmers in North India.
In a tweet, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said: “The year-long farmers’ protest has finally triumphed. Indian farmers have scripted one of the brightest chapters in the history of class struggles. Salutes to the martyrs, farmers and organisations who fought with unmatched resoluteness and undying spirit.”
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CITU leader Elamaram Kareem, MP, said the Narendra Modi Government had retreated in front of the wrath of farmers. The Kissan Samyuktha Morcha led agitation had brought the fascist BJP regime to its knees.
The farmers’ agitation had spelt doom for the BJP in Bengal and Assam Assembly polls. The BJP withdrew the market-friendly and pro-corporate farm laws to save itself from a rout in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand Assembly polls.
CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran said Mr. Modi had muscled the black laws through the Lok Sabha to favour his “corporate allies.” However, farmers had defeated his neo-liberal pitch.
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Farmers had braved the COVID-19 pandemic, attacks from Sangh Parivar goons and harsh weather to author the iconic victory. They fought overwhelming forces and still carried the day.
In many ways, the agitation was reminiscent of the Independence struggle. Mr. Rajendran said political expediency had forced the BJP to the farm laws in the run-up to the Assembly polls in North India. Nevertheless, it was a victory for left-liberal forces and a setback for the BJP.
Forward Bloc national general secretary G. Devarajan said wisdom had dawned later on the BJP Government. The Congress workers took out torchlight marches across Kerala to hail the victory of the farmers’ agitation. KPCC president K. Sudhakaran said “fascist Modi” had to bow to the collective will of farmers.
The Prime Minister had no recourse but to withdraw the black laws or face an electoral rout in the upcoming Assembly elections in north India. Mr. Sudhakaran said farmers had sounded the death knell of the fascist NDA regime. It was the beginning of the end of the BJP rule at the Centre. The blacks were anti-farmer and pro-corporate.
Mr. Modi had sacrificed the interests of crores of farmers at the altar of profit-motivated global corporations. The KPCC president highlighted the peaceful and Gandhian nature of the 15-month agitation despite the Sangh Parivar attacks and the Centre’s intransigence.