Don't be on wrong side of history: BKU Lok Shakti to members of SC-appointed panel

Members of committee appointed by Supreme Court to resolve farm laws delock should follow suit of Bhupinder Singh Mann and t be on "wrong side of history", a farmers' union said here on Thursday.

Mann, national president of Bharatiya Kisan Union, on Thursday expressed gratitude over his mination into four-member committee but recused himself saying he would give up any position to prevent farmers' interests from being compromised.

"Mann's decision is a welcome move. or three members of panel, who have shown pro-new farm laws stance should also follow Mann's suit. This ongoing agitation for rollback of three agri laws is history in making, and we urge y should t be on wrong side of history," Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) spokesperson Shailesh Kumar Giri said.

Apart from Mann, Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra) president Anil Ghanwat, International Food Policy Research Institute's Pramod Kumar Joshi and agriculture ecomist Ashok Gulati were appointed on panel.

BKU (Lok Shakti) members have been camping at Dalit Prerna Sthal in ida since first week of December to demand withdrawal of three new contentious laws. Besides BKU (Lok Shakti), members of BKU (Bhanu) are also staying put at Chilla at ida-Delhi border over issue.

Meanwhile, scores of farmers belonging to two BKU factions stayed put in ida on Thursday night after celebrating 'Makar Sankranti' at protest sites and burning symbolic copies of new laws.

Support also poured in for BKU (Lok Shakti) as five of its members from Odisha joined protest which alrey has farmers from various districts of Uttar Presh.

"Among those who joined from Odisha are union's Odisha unit chief Sangram Pillai," Giri said.

BKU (Bhanu) and BKU (Lok Shakti) are t a part of Sanyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farmers unions, which are leing charge at Delhi's border points in Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur, but have extended ir support to cause.

Thousands of farmers are currently staying put at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Presh in protest against Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that se laws would pave way for dismantling of minimum support price system, leaving m at "mercy" of big corporations.

However, government has maintained that new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new techlogies in agriculture.