700 Farmer Lives Could Have Been Saved If Agrarian Laws Were Scrapped Earlier: Delhi CM Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal welcomes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to scrap three agrarian laws.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal welcomes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to scrap three agrarian laws.

However, while noting that the laws should have been repealed earlier, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief on Friday said, "Today one thing is very sad. 700+ farmers lost their lives, it was not needed. These laws could have been stopped earlier. I salute these martyrs."

आज एक बात का तो बहुत दुख है।

700+ किसानों ने अपनी जान गंवा दी, इसकी जरूरत नहीं थी। ये कानून पहले ही रोके जा सकते थे।

इन शहीदों को मेरा नमन। वाहेगुरु उनके परिवार के सभी कष्ट दूर करें। आपकी कुर्बानियों को ये देश कभी नहीं भूलेगा।

- CM @ArvindKejriwal #FarmLaws pic.twitter.com/7JI6pzAApI

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) November 19, 2021

Highlighting that this day will be remembered just like Independence Day, Republic Day in India's History, Delhi Chief Minister said, "It's the victory of democracy, not just farmers'. Govt made all efforts to disrupt anti-farm laws protest, called them Khalistani, terrorists, but farmers' didn't give up."

"Farmers proved that the Centre eventually will have to listen to the people. Water cannons, lathis dried up and nails melted against farmer's determination. Govt made all efforts to disrupt the protest but farmers' didn't give up & fought well," he added.

Earlier today, Maharashtra Home Minister DW Patil also said that if this decision to scrap the three agricultural was taken earlier a lot more innocent lives of farmers would have been spared.

The decision to scrap the farm laws came five months before the five states including Punjab and Uttar Pradesh's assembly elections were scheduled to be conducted. 

"Today is the holy festival of Guru Nanak Dev. This is not the time to blame anyone. Today I have come to inform the whole country that it has been decided to withdraw three agricultural laws," PM Modi said during the address.

Since November last year, farmers mostly from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh have been demanding that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, be rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops.