After more than a year of protests, India's Prime Minister Modi repeals controversial farm laws
On Friday, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would repeal three contentious agricultural laws that sparked more than a year of protests in a rare apparent climb down ahead of pivotal state elections.
"Today, I have come to tell you, the whole country, that we have decided to withdraw all three agricultural laws," Modi said in an address to the nation, adding the process will be completed in a parliamentary session later this month.
Modi acknowledged the importance of farmers and the challenges they have faced. He said it was a priority issue for his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"In this great campaign to improve the condition of the farmers, three agricultural laws were brought in the country," Modi said.
"This law was brought in with good intentions," he continued, adding that despite its efforts, the government was unable to "make them (farmers) understand the importance of the agricultural laws."
National vice president of the Jai Kisan Andolan farmers' group, Deepak Lamba, said Modi's announcement "can be seen as a huge victory for farmers," but added the government has repealed the laws for "political compulsions." "The government has taken this step, keeping in mind upcoming (state) elections," he said.
In India, farming is a central political issue, and the protests posed a unique challenge to the BJP.
Seven Indian states will hold elections early next year to determine whether Modi's BJP will retain power. His ruling party currently governs six of the seven states, including predominantly agricultural Uttar Pradesh.
Farmers are the biggest voting bloc in the country, and the agricultural sector sustains about 58% of India's 1.3 billion citizens. Angering farmers could see Modi lose a sizable number of votes.
Modi's announcement came on Gur Purab, the birth anniversary of the founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak. Sikhism is the dominant religion in the northern state of Punjab, which is governed by the opposition Congress Party and is considered India's breadbasket for its sizeable agricultural force.
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