New Delhi: The farmer groups, which have been camping at Delhi borders against the three farm laws for over a month now, Tuesday said the Supreme Court’s order to stay the implementation of the legislations isn’t a solution and also refused to participate in the committee announced to end the deadlock.
The farmers said the members of the committee “are known for their support to the three acts and have actively advocated for the same”.
In a statement issued by All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) — the umbrella organisation of over 400 farmer unions coordinating the protests — farmers said they won’t budge unless the laws are repealed.
“Suspending the implementation of the laws as an interim measure is welcome, but is not a solution and the farmer unions have not been asking for this solution, given the fact that the implementation can be reinstated at any time,” the statement said.
“The government must repeal the laws and it must understand that farmers and people of India are opposed to the laws,” it added.
‘Won’t participate in any committee’
The farmers had issued a statement Monday — after meeting their lawyers, H.S. Phoolka, Prashant Bhushan, Dushyant Dave and Colin Gonsalves — saying they won’t be a part of any committee.
However, in its order Tuesday, the SC said that a committee will be formed nonetheless.
“We are forming a committee so that we have a clearer picture. We don’t want to hear arguments that farmers will not go to the committee. We are looking to solve the problem,” said the bench led by Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde.
The AIKSCC said in their statement that farmers reiterated that they will not be a part of the committee.
“Farmer unions reiterate the fact that they will not participate in any such committee process — further, one of their apprehensions about such a process got validated in the very constitution of the committee. It is clear that the court is being misguided by various forces even in its constitution of a committee. These are people who are known for their support to the three Acts and have actively advocated for the same,” said the statement.
The members of the committee are Bhupinder Singh Mann, president of Bhartiya Kisan Union, agriculture economists Dr Pramod Kumar Joshi and Ashok Gulati, and Anil Ghanwat, president of Shetkari Sanghatana, a Maharashtra-based farm union.
“All the members of this committee are pro-government and have been justifying the laws of the government,” said Balbir Singh Rajewal, chief of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Rajewal), at a press conference held at Singhu Border.
Both Mann and Ghanwat had sent letters in support of the three farm laws to Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar last month.
‘Won’t go home till laws are repealed’
Farmers at the Singhu Border, the epicentre of the protests, said they will not call off their agitation until the three laws are repealed.
“We appreciate the Supreme Court’s decision to put a stay on the laws. This has given out a message to the people of India who are watching ‘Godi media’ channels that the laws are not in our favour and, hence, even the apex court had to step in to put a stay on their implementation,” said Amrish Singh, from Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib, who has been protesting at the Singhu Border since 26 November.
“But our fight will continue till the laws are repealed and we will not go home till then,” he asserted.
Farmers also said that the stay by the apex court is only to stall the 26 January tractor rally.
“The SC has only put a stay on the order to stall our tractor rally on Republic Day. But our leaders have said that the tractor rally will continue as scheduled and we will continue our protest as well as prepare for the tractor rally,” said Narpinder Singh, from Punjab’s Ludhiana, who was making kheer at one of the langar spots in Singhu.
The farmers also said the SC’s decision has come too late.
“The court should come and see how the elderly are sitting here in the cold. Everyday at least two people are dying here. The court’s intervention has come too late. But now that they have intervened they should end the matter by repealing the three laws so that we can go home and our elderly don’t have to suffer like this,” said Amandeep Singh, resident of Punjab’s Fazilka district.
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