Farmers 'Reject' SC's Order To Form Committee, Say Centre Using Top Court To Quash Protest

In an interim order on Tuesday, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of Agrarian laws while paving way for the constitution of a 4-member committee to resolve the matter.

Photo Courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: Claiming that all 4 members of the committee constituted by the Supreme Court are pro-farm laws, farmer leaders on Tuesday refused to appear before this committee.  Farmer leaders have claimed that all the members of the Supreme Court's committee are supporters of agrarian laws as they publicly advocated support for the legislation and it was central government getting this done to "take the burden off their shoulders". "We had issued a press note last night stating that we won't accept any committee formed by Supreme Court for mediation. We were confident that the Centre will get a committee formed through the Supreme Court to take the burden off their shoulders.": Krantikari Kisan Union chief Darshan Pal said. The leaders added that the agitation will continue and there will be a peaceful demonstration on Republic Day (January 26). "We had said yesterday itself that we won't appear before any such committee. Our agitation will go on as usual. All the members of this Committee are pro-govt and had been justifying the laws of the Government,": Balbir Singh Rajewal, Bhartiya Kisan Union (R) said. In an interim order on Tuesday, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of Agrarian laws while paving way for the constitution of a 4-member committee to resolve the matter. The 4-member committee will comprise the President of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Bhupinder Singh Maan, Agricultural economist Ashok Gulati, President of Shetkari Sangathan Anil Ghanwat, and International policy head Dr. Pramod Joshi.

SC's Response To Opposition Of Committee 

During the hearing on Tuesday, Advocate ML Sharma who filed a plea challenging the agrarian laws told the court that farmers do not wish to appear before any committee to be constituted by the court. "This committee will be for us. All of you people who are expected to solve the issue will go before this committee. It will not pass an order or punish you, it will only submit a report to us," CJI Bobde said. "We are trying to solve the problem in accordance with the powers we have. One of the powers we have is to suspend the legislation and make a committee," the CJI said. Notably, the committee is part of the judicial process in this case while the agrarian laws have been suspended but not indefinitely.

Tractor Rally On Republic Day

Protesting farmers and their organisations have been planning to hold a massive tractor rally on Republic Day as a show of strength against the union government. Regarding this, the Supreme Court issued a notice on the application filed by the Delhi Police seeking to stop the proposed rally. The top court will hear this matter further on Monday next week. WATCH | Unsatisfied with the Supreme Court's order, says farmer leader Jasbeer Singh