In a statement that has reignited the contentious debate surrounding the repealed farm laws, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has stirred a political firestorm by advocating for return of the three agricultural reforms. Reportedly speaking in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh Ranaut asserted that the laws were beneficial and should be reinstated, even suggesting that farmers themselves demand their reimplementation.
“I know this statement could be controversial, but the three farm laws should be brought back. Farmers should request their return for their own good,” Ranaut remarked, acknowledging the potential backlash yet standing firm in her position.
Her comments come amid heated election campaigning in Haryana, a state that was at the forefront of the 2020-21 protests against these laws, which were eventually withdrawn by Prime Minister Narendra Modi following nationwide agitations.
Ranaut’s statement may add fresh fuel to the fire in the poll-bound Haryana as her comments triggered an immediate political backlash, particularly from the Congress, which led the opposition to the farm laws during the protests. Taking to social media, Congress party condemned her remarks, accusing the BJP of attempting to revive policies that had led to widespread discontent among farmers.
The Congress party slammed Ranaut and the BJP for entertaining the notion of bringing back the farm laws. On X (formerly Twitter), the party reminded the public of the immense sacrifices made by farmers during the protests, during which more than 750 farmers reportedly lost their lives.
“Over 750 farmers became martyrs fighting to get these black laws repealed. It took their sacrifices to wake the Modi government up. Now, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut is calling for their return. Let it be clear – these black laws will never return, no matter how much the BJP tries,” the Congress stated.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate echoed this sentiment, pledging that the party would not allow the laws to be reintroduced under any circumstances. “We will never let this happen. Haryana will be the first to answer in the upcoming elections,” she warned, turning the issue into a key election talking point. Ranaut, who has long been a vocal supporter of the BJP and a critic of the farmer protests, has often courted controversy with her remarks.
The three farm laws in question – 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 – were introduced with the aim of liberalising agricultural markets by allowing farmers to sell outside government-regulated mandis, engage in contract farming, and ease restrictions on stockpiling.
The Modi government argued that the reforms would increase farmers’ incomes by giving them more freedom. However, farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, feared that the laws would lead to corporate exploitation and dismantle the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system. This fear triggered year-long protests, with thousands of farmers camping at the borders of Delhi, demanding the complete repeal of the laws.
In November 2021, Prime Minister Modi announced the repeal of the laws, marking a significant political defeat for the BJP. The government cited the inability to build consensus with the farmers as the primary reason for the rollback.