Farmers who have been
protesting for over a year against the three agriculture laws first passed and
then repealed by the Centre said that they will call off their protest tomorrow
after the government agreed to their demands. The settlement between farmers
and the Centre was reached after the government tabled a second draft proposal
which included assurances on minimum support price (MSP) and withdrawal of
police cases against protesting farmers, NDTV reported on Wednesday.

Gurnam Singh Charuni, a
farmer leader said, “We have accepted the revised draft given by the Centre
over our demands in regard to farmers agitation against three farm laws. We
will hold a meeting tomorrow, as soon as we receive a formal letter from Centre.
Protest is still underway.”

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A meeting between representatives
of the government and farmers is scheduled for noon Thursday. At the meeting, a
scaling down of the farmers’ agitation, including the return of farmers from
Delhi, is likely to be discussed.

The scale-down of the
farmers’ protests come after the Centre repealed the three contentious
agriculture laws that according to farmers gave the private sector a
significant role in India’s agriculture operations. However, even after the
laws were repealed farmers continued their agitation seeking a legal guarantee
for MSP. MSP is the minimum support price guaranteed by the government for
crops to ensure farmers don’t make massive losses.

Also Read | Explained: Why do farmers want a legal guarantee on MSP

While the three farm
laws are gone for now, the case for an MSP assurance remains in balance. The
government has decided to set up an MSP committee and farmers have demanded
that only members of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the coalition of farm groups
leading the protests, should be members of the committee in addition to government
officials and experts. This demand of farmers is a bid to counter the inclusion
of those farmers who were in support of the agriculture laws.

Also Read | Law on MSP will impact Indian economy: Farm laws panel member

The protests against
the three farm laws had started nearly a year ago and farmers primarily from
Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh camped for months at the Delhi border
demanding that the government withdraw the laws. Around 700 protesting farmers
died in course of the protests. Farmers have also sought compensation from the
government for the farmers who died.