Bharat Kisan Union moves Supreme Court; seeks repeal of Farm Laws & nationwide loan waiver

Taking a legal recourse in their struggle against the Centre's Farm Laws, the Bharat Kisan Union (BKU), on Friday, has moved the Supreme Court seeking repeal of these laws in their entirety. The writ petition claims that the laws are illegal, arbitrary and will pave the way for cartelization. Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh continue to stage a protest around Delhi's borders for the 16th consecutive day, demanding a rollback of these laws.

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BKU moves SC seeking repeal of laws

In their plea, the BKU has claimed that the three laws were anti-farmer, would dismantle the APMC system and were passed hastily without adequate discussions. Claiming the law in its existing form will corporatise agriculture with the Indian farmer not knowing to negotiate the best terms with private companies. Stating that a Farmers Commission should be formed comprising exclusively of farmers, BKU has asked that the Commission must decide the price of crops and that all farmer loans in the entire nation will be waived. 

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Farmers protest continue

Rejecting the Centre's proposed amendment to the three Farm Laws,  farmers have stayed firm on their demand of total repeal of the Farm acts, stating a 'lack of trust' on the Modi government. The farm union leaders were sent a 10-point proposal by the Centre assuring to give written guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), empowering states to create a law which will prevent misuse of traders' registration, continuing current electricity bill payment done by the government and amend the stubble burning penalty clause. The Centre has requested the farmers to stop their protests at Delhi's borders, and continue with next round of talks. Farmers have retaliated by announcing a nationwide rail roko.

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As the country opened up after lockdown, the Centre promulgated three ordinances affecting agriculture. Agriculture foodstuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions, and potato are to be deregulated while stock limits were to be imposed only under extreme conditions, under the amendment to the Essential Commodities act. The Farmers' produce trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act was to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments - making agriculture sector competitive.  Under the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services ordinance, 2020, it provided a framework for the protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to the sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws. Punjab government has passed laws annulling the Centre's laws.

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