Bowing to protests, India’s Modi agrees to repeal farm laws

By SHEIKH SAALIQ
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he would repeal the controversial agriculture laws that sparked yearlong protests from tens of thousands of farmers and posed a significant challenge to his administration. Farmers form one of India’s most influential voting blocs. They have camped out on the outskirts of the capital since November of last year to demand the withdrawal of the laws. They feared the measures would dramatically reduce their incomes. Modi’s surprise decision Friday came ahead of elections early next year in key states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab that are significant agricultural producers and where his Bharatiya Janata Party is eager to shore up its support. Experts said it was too early to say if it would work.