Singhu border partly reopens for light vehicles as farmers clear protest site

Commuters of Delhi-Haryana heaved a sigh of relief as the border highways blocked for almost a year by the protesting farmers have now been cleared, and they are open for the traffic to resume. The protesting farmers moved back to their respective homes after breaking the year-long protests after the central government repealed the three contentious farm laws in the ongoing winter session of the parliament.

At the Singhu border, the portion of NH-44 conjoining Delhi from Haryana was shut for over a year due to the farmers' protest. The highway was only open for light vehicles during the protests and not for heavy vehicles like trucks, etc. Though light vehicles are still permitted to go through the highway, they have not been completely open and are being repaired. 

"The highway is still closed for heavy vehicles & the repair work is underway to reopen it completely," Sonipat DC Lalit Siwach said to ANI. 

On December 11, farmers at Delhi's borders - Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur cleared the area and began returning to their home states after Sanyukta Kisan Morcha called off the farmers' protest. Visuals from the sites show farmers celebrating, holding a 'Victory March', packing tents and moving tractors to Punjab and Haryana - after a year of protests. SKM has stated that it will review the status on January 15 to ascertain if the Centre has fulfilled its demands.

Repeal of three farm laws 

After a year-long protest by farmers, PM Modi announced that the Centre will officially repeal the three farm laws, which was later done during the Winter session of Parliament. Addressing the nation on the occasion of Guru Parab, PM Modi lamented that one section of farmers remained unconvinced of the benefits of the Farm laws in spite of multiple rounds of talks. The Centre has constituted an agricultural committee to strengthen the Minimum Support Price (MSP) structure.

The three contentious farm laws were passed in November 2020 in the parliament, which led the agitation farmers to gherao the Delhi border sites, demanding the withdrawal of the laws. These were the three laws–The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aimed at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protected and empowered farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specified that the supply of foodstuffs, including cereals, pulses, potatoes, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances.

Image: ANI/PTI