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A30 world news
Diasabra 20 November 2021

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

(AP) — In a major rever- climbdown for the 71-year-
sal, Indian Prime Minis- old leader, who has stood firm
ter Narendra Modi an- in the face of fierce criticism
nounced Friday that he over other steps his govern-
would repeal the contro- ment took, such as abruptly
versial agriculture laws banning high-denomination
that sparked yearlong currency notes and revoking
protests from tens of Muslim majority Kashmir’s
thousands of farmers and semiautonomous powers.
posed a significant chal-
lenge to his administra- But farmers are a particularly
tion. influential voting bloc in In-
dia — both for their sheer
Farmers, who form one of numbers but also because
India’s most influential vot- and they are often roman-
ing blocs, have camped out ticized as the heart and soul
on the outskirts of the capital of the nation. They are es-
since November of last year pecially important to Modi’s
to demand the withdrawal of base and make up substantial
the laws, which they feared portions of the population in
would dramatically reduce some states his party rules.
their incomes.
Modi had long defended the it was willing to pledge the cized for refusing to extend coronavirus surge that devas-
Modi’s surprise decision, in laws, which were passed in guaranteed prices would debate on the legislation — tated India earlier this year.
a televised national address, September last year, as neces- continue, the farmers wanted renewing accusations that it
came ahead of elections early sary to modernize India’s ag- legislation saying such prices has too often used its major- Dozens of farmers died by
next year in key states like ricultural sector. But farmers were their legal right. They ity to ram through laws with- suicide or because of bad
Uttar Pradesh and Punjab feared they would end a sys- contended that without guar- out enough consultation. weather or COVID-19 dur-
that are significant agricul- tem under which the govern- antees, they would be at the ing the demonstrations that
tural producers and where ment guaranteed prices for mercy of the markets and that Protests against the laws es- have drawn international
his Bharatiya Janata Party is certain essential crops — first would spell disaster, espe- calated in November last support from rights cam-
eager to shore up its support. introduced in the 1960s to cially for the more than two- year, when farmers hunkered paigners and celebrities, in-
Experts said it was too early help shore up food reserves thirds of them who own less down on the outskirts of cluding climate activist Greta
to say if it would work. and prevent shortages. than 1 hectare (2 1/2 acres) of New Delhi, where they have Thunberg and superstar Ri-
land. camped out since, including hanna.
The move represented a rare While the government said Modi’s party was also criti- through a harsh winter and a