Farm Laws Repeal: Film stars hail Modi’s announcement, congratulate protesting farmers

By PTI

MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government’s decision to repeal the three farm laws was welcomed by various cine personalities including actors Sonu Sood, Urmila Matondkar, Taapsee Pannu and Richa Chadha.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and UP, who have protesting for over a year, were demanding a rollback of 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.

Enacted in September last year, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.

Modi, on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti, said the three farm laws will be repealed in the coming Winter session of the Parliament.

Addressing the nation, he said, “Today I want to tell everyone that we have decided to repeal all three farm laws.”

Soon after the announcement, various film celebrities took to social media to express their happiness over the government’s decision and praised farmers for their perseverance.

Sood termed the news as wonderful and not only thanked Modi but farmers also for holding a peaceful protest.

“This is a wonderful news! Thank you, @narendramodi ji, @PMOIndia, for taking back the farm laws. Thank you, farmers, for raising just demands through peaceful protests. Hope you will happily return to be with your families on the Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji today,” he said in a tweet.

Sharing a photo of farmers, actor-politician Matondkar expressed her joy over the decision.

“Victory requires passion, who needs blood that boils, this sky will also come on the ground, only intentions are needed that echo of victory.

#Kisaanandolaan Zindabad. Happy for my farmer brothers and sisters. Salute to the martyr farmers #Jaikisaan always always,” she wrote.

Chadha, 34, posted a photo of her wearing a T-shirt which has a farmer on it and said it will be her outfit of the day.

“Sarbat da bhala! #OOTD,” she said.

Pannu shared a news clip, which stated, ‘PM says 3 farm laws to be withdrawn’ and captioned it: “Also… Gurpurab diyaan sab nu vadhaiyaan.”

Actor Gul Panag said it was a lesson for the future governments to engage with all the stake holders when bringing about reform.

“I wish we didn’t have to let the impasse last this long, cause so many lives to be lost. And demonise, debase, delegitimise the Farm Protest and the protestors. #Farmlawsrepealed,” she wrote.

“Let this be a lesson for future Governments to find the means & the will, to engage with all stake holders when bringing about reform. And also a lesson for law makers -that legislative procedure can’t be circumvented by passing laws in minutes, without discussion & debate,” she added.

She also expressed her anguish over how farmers were called hooligans, anti-nationals, terrorists, saying this will not be forgotten and forgiven.

Dia Mirza tweeted, “Jai Kisaan #GuruPurab.”

The protesting farmers had expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

In the past, many celebrities such as Pannu, Chadha, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Preity Zinta, Swara Bhasker, Diljit Dosanjh, Reitesh Deshmukh, director Hansal Mehta, Harbhajan Mann, Jasbir Jassi, among others had extended their support to the protesting farmers, via social media.

Many Punjabi singers and actors including Mann, Kanwar Grewal, Harf Cheema, Babbu Maan, Jass Bajwa, Himmat Sandu, R Nait, Anmol Gagan, composed songs hailing the fighting spirit of the farmers.