Farmers Union moves SC against mediation committee; days after BKU Prez quits panel

In a massive development, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) moved to the Supreme Court on Saturday against the formation of a four-member committee to resolve the deadlock between farmers and the Centre over the new agriculture laws. Farmer unions and opposition parties have raised doubts over the composition of the panel, insisting that its members have been in favour of the three laws in the past. 
 
The development comes two days after BKU national president Bhupinder Singh Mann, who was appointed to the Supreme Court's committee to mediate talks, resigned from the panel.

In a letter, Bhupinder Singh Mann said that he declined the offer so as to "not compromise with the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country." Asserting that he stands with farmers of the country, Mann said he is withdrawing himself from the panel in light of the "sentiments and apprehensions amongst farm unions and farmers."

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After his resignation, the committee stands comprising three members namely-- agricultural economist Ashok Gulati, Pramod Kumar Joshi- Director, South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute, and Shetkari Sanghatana president, Anil Ghanwat. This panel has been asked to submit its recommendations pertaining to the Farm Laws to the top court within two months from the date of its first sitting. 

Centre-Farmer talks inconclusive

The Centre's 9th round of talks with farmers' unions concluded with a detailed discussion on all three farm laws especially The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Centre tried to address the concerns of farmers but no agreement could be reached. Moreover, he revealed that the farmer leaders had rejected the Centre's request to form a smaller committee to air their grievances.

READ | BKU Leader Mann Recuses Himself From SC Committee On Farm Laws

SC stays implementation of farm laws

A three-judge SC bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopanna, and Justice V Ramasubramanian laid down the roadmap for the resolution of the standoff over the three farm laws passed by Parliament. It has not only ordered that the MSP system in place before the enactment of the farm laws shall continue but also made it clear that the landholdings of the farmers shall be protected. 

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Additionally, the representatives of all farmer unions, irrespective of whether they are holding a protest or not, were asked to participate in the deliberations of the 4-member committee and put forth their viewpoints.

Though the court said that it did not intend to stifle a "peaceful protest", it appealed to the farmers' unions to convince their members to get back to their livelihood as a result of this "extraordinary order"

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