Modi announced on television that all three farm laws will be repealed, with the process starting in the upcoming Parliament session. He urged protesting farmers to go back home and start anew. Protest leaders cautiously welcomed Modi's decision and planned to meet in New Delhi to discuss the next steps. Many protesters are from the Sikh community, and the announcement was made on Guru Nanak Jayanti. Farmer leader and activist Ramandeep Singh Mann expressed his excitement and compared it to conquering Mount Everest. Mann stated that it is still uncertain whether the government will agree to the farmers' demand for a separate law guaranteeing a minimum price for crops. He mentioned that the farmers will continue their protest outside New Delhi until Parliament officially repeals the three laws. Despite the farmers' refusal to compromise, Modi's government has supported the market-friendly laws passed last year. The protesters have endured harsh winter conditions, summer heat, and the challenges of a deadly COVID-19 wave in New Delhi. Modi’s government initially claimed that the new laws would attract private investment to a sector that is crucial for the livelihood of over 60% of India’s population, but has not been contributing significantly to the economy. However, farmers, who are already burdened by debt and bankruptcies, were concerned that loosening government regulations would make them vulnerable to large corporations. The repeal of the laws coincides with Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party stepping up its campaign for the upcoming elections in northern Indian states where many protesting farmers reside. Despite multiple failed negotiations, farmers began following top government officials during their travels across northern India this fall to ensure their concerns were heard. In October, a confrontation between protesting farmers and a BJP convoy in Uttar Pradesh resulted in the deaths of four protesters and four others, including a local journalist. The son of a minister in Modi's government is being investigated for murder, along with others. Jagdeep Singh, whose father Nakshatra Singh was killed, believes that the decision to repeal the laws honors those who died during a year of protests, whether from extreme temperatures, heart attacks, COVID, or other causes. Around 750 protesters have reportedly died, according to a farm leader, although the government claims to have no data on this. Singh sees the repeal as a victory for farmers who sacrificed their lives to protect others from corporate greed. "They must be happy wherever they are." - ©2021 The New York Times Company.