Farmer unions to call off their over a year-long agitation as the Central government has accepted their demand. The protesting farmers will return to their villages after more than a year.

Farmers will vacate Delhi borders and return home on December 11, 2021. The protesting farmers received a letter from the Centre with promises of forming a committee on MSP and withdrawing cases against them immediately. "As far as the matter of compensation is concerned, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have given in-principle consent," the letter read.

Protesting farmers receive a letter from Govt of India, with promises of forming a committee on MSP and withdrawing cases against them immediately

"As far as the matter of compensation is concerned, UP and Haryana have given in-principle consent," it reads pic.twitter.com/CpIEJGFY4p

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2021

Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni said farmers' unions have decided to suspend the agitation following a meeting of Samyukta Kisan Morcha in Delhi. "We have decided to suspend our agitation. We will hold a review meeting on January 15. If the government doesn't fulfill its promises, we could resume our agitation," he said.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), or United Farmers' Front, a coalition of farmers unions, in a statement, said that it has accepted the proposal from the Centre, and a consensus has emerged. "We've received a revised proposal from the government. We've accepted the proposal, and a consensus has emerged," the SKM said.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh under the aegis of various farmers' unions were protesting at the borders of the national capital since November 26, 2020, to demand repeal of the three farm laws. The farmers' body said that nearly 700 farmers have been martyred in this struggle.

First Published:Dec 9, 2021 2:51 PM IST