Published 16:24 IST, January 12th 2021
Farm Laws stayed: Congress calls it 'legal slap to BJP' but claims SC Committee 'biased'
Slamming the Centre, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill on Tuesday called for Union Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar's resignation after SC stay
Slamming the Centre, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill on Tuesday called for Union Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar's resignation after the Supreme Court's stayed the three Farm Laws. WHile Shergill called the stay a 'tight legal slap on BJP's dictatorial law-making', he also opined that the four members of the SC-constituted committee has publically expressed opinion favouring the Farm Laws. He added that such a committee will make it tough for farmers to have faith in such a committee.
Congress slams Centre, claims SC committee biased
SC stays Farm Laws
The Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended the implementation of the three controversial farm laws until further orders and formed a four-member committee to hold talks and resolve the stand-off between the farmers and the Centre. A key point of the hearing was that four top lawyers who had appeared for the farmers groups and others in the hearing on Monday failed to appear, as the unions do not wish an SC intervention in the matter. The top court also issued a notice to farmers' unions on the Delhi Police's application filed seeking to stop the proposed tractor rally on Republic Day. On the centre's assertion that Khalistani elements had infiltrated the farmers' protest, SC has also asked the government of India to file an affidavit on the same by Wednesday.
The four members of the SC committee to resolve the ongoing Centre-farmers standoff are -
- Bhupinder Singh President, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU)
- Ashok Gulati, Agricultural Scientist
- Pramod K Jishi, International Food Policy Research Institute
- Anil Ghanwant, Shetkari Sangathan
Farmers don't want SC intervention
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait, on the other hand, has stated that farmers are unhappy with the SC's order and that the farmer protests will continue till the laws are repealed by the government and MSP is made a law. The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) added that the farmers will not participate in any court-ordered committee process and wishes to engage only with the Centre. Farmers have also stated that the Kisan Parade will be held at Delhi and all over the country in large numbers, without hampering the official Republic Day parade
The farmers have stayed firm on their demand of total repeal of the Farm acts, stating a 'lack of trust' on the Modi government, rejecting clause-to-clause discussion on the laws as their one-point demand was a repeal of the laws. Centre has agreed not to penalise farmers for stubble burning and to continue the present mechanism of giving subsided electricity for agricultural use, but refused to repeal the laws. While eight rounds of talks between farmers and Centre have not yielded any results, the ninth round of talks was scheduled on January 15. Protests continue at Delhi borders for 48th consecutive day.
Updated 16:24 IST, January 12th 2021