The farmers in India have been exploited since after the time of independence. In 2020, 41.49 percent of the workforce in India were employed in agriculture, while the other half was almost evenly distributed among the two other sectors, industry and services. While the share of Indians working in agriculture is declining, it is still the main sector of employment.

The employees of the agricultural (Farmers) sector are protesting to repeal the laws passed in the parliament. The laws are mentioned as follows: 

1- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020

2- Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020

3- Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020

Criticism
(a) President of the Maharashtra Rajya Bazaar Samiti Sahakari Sangh, Dilip Mohite Patil claimed that around 100-125 market committees in Vidarbha and Marathwada regions have reported almost no business and are on the verge of closure after the announcement of the central Ordinance. 

(b) Food Processing Industries Minister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal resigned from her post in protest against these Bills.

(c) Former Chief Minister of Punjab, Prakash Singh Badal returned his Padma Vibhushan to protest 'the betrayal of farmers by the Government of India'.

The farmers have called a protest- Bharat Band on the 8th of this month to repeal the law. Protesting farmers have called for a 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8 after several rounds of talks with the Central government over the new farm laws didn't yield any result. Farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been agitating on the outskirts of Delhi against the three new farm laws. As the logjam continues, Centre has called for another meet with farmers on December 9.

What do farmers say?

The farmers are protesting against the Centre's new farm laws - the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020. They claim that the new laws would pave way for dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.