Former Union law minister Ashwani Kumar on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have to carry the heavy burden of causing untold misery to the farmers who would never forget the hardships caused by the delayed withdrawal of the controversial farm laws.

Reacting to Modi’s announcement of repealing the three laws during the next Parliament session, Kumar said the belated announcement affirmed the truth that the defence of peoples’ rights and the vindication of their sensitivities rested finally on the assertion of popular will.

“The farmers of India have not only made history but have reminded us of its lessons. The vindication of the farmers’ cause is owed entirely to their unflinching faith in the justice of their cause and the nationwide support for it.

“If only the central government had risen above hubris and responded to the farmers’ cry for justice, human misery on a colossal scale could have been averted.

“There is no doubt that the Modi government will have to carry the heavy burden of injustice and the misery caused by the belated decision to repeal the unjust laws.

“Farmers are not going to forget the hardships caused to them and their families in a hurry. Public memory may be short, but historic struggles are not easily forgotten,” Kumar told The Telegraph.