BJD, Cong In Odisha Welcome Withdrawal Of Three Farm Laws

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has welcomed the Central government's decision to withdraw three contentious Farm laws.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the nation on the occasion of Gurpurab festival, announced the repealing of the Farm laws, bringing smile on the faces of farmers who had been protesting against those for nearly a year.

Taking to Twitter, the CM said the decision was in the best interests of the country and its farmers. "Welcome Hon'ble PM @narendramodi ji's decision to repeal all 3 #Farmlaws, in the best interests of the country and its farmers. Your farms and families have been waiting for long and they will be happy to welcome you back. @bjd_odisha continues to stand with the farmers," read the CM’s tweet.

Welcome Hon'ble PM @narendramodi ji’s decision to repeal all 3 #FarmLaws, in the best interests of the country and its farmers. Your farms and families have been waiting for long and they will be happy to welcome you back. @bjd_odisha continues to stand with the farmers.

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) November 19, 2021

It is pertinent to mention here that the BJD had all along been not in favour of the Farm laws. The party had opposed the implementation of Farm laws in both houses of the Parliament. Rather, it had demanded implementation of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee recommendations for the improvement of agriculture sector.

The Congress too welcomed the decision. “The Central government’s decision to repeal the three Farm laws coincided with the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. It is a victory of our Party and all the credit goes to lakhs of farmers who had been staging sit-in since the announcement. Our party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi had conducted rallies and programmes in protest against the Farm laws across the nation. The BJP initially refused to consider the suggestions of the parties who were opposing the laws. Ahead of elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, the decision was taken,” said A Chhellakumar, Odisha Congress in-charge. 

 "It is the victory of the farmers as well as of the Congress. It is the victory of the farmers because they had been protesting against these laws for almost a year. The protest was to complete a year on November 26. It is a victory of the Congress because the party had also been opposing the laws since the announcements," stated senior Congress leader Ganeswar Behera.

President Ram Nath Kovind had given his assent to the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 on September 27, 2020.