Govt hardens stance asks unions for alternate to repeal of farm laws

New Delhi, Jan 18: The government has hardened its stance and asked the farmer unions for an alternate to repealing the contentious farm laws.

Agriculture Minister, N S Tomar called on the unions to come up with an alternative to their demands stating most farmers, experts and other stakeholders are in favour of the new legislations.

There is no point in being adamant when the Supreme Court has already stayed the implementation.

Farmers' Protest: Ghazipur, Chilla other key Delhi borders remain closed

We expect farmers to discuss the laws clause by clause on January 19 and give us other options. If the objections by the unions are found to be valid, the government may consider them and go ahead with the amendments, Tomar also said.

The farmers have however said that the comments by the minister are an indication that the Centre was not willing to speak on their core demands.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday the pleas relating to controversial farm laws and the ongoing farmers' protest at Delhi borders. The court may take into account the matter of recusal of a member of the committee set up by it to resolve the impasse.

The top court would also hear the plea of the central government, filed though the Delhi Police, seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor march or any other kind of protest by farmers which seeks to disrupt the gathering and celebrations of Republic Day on January 26.

In an "extraordinary" interim order on January 12, a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde had stayed the implementation of the new farm laws till further orders and had constituted a four-member panel to listen to the grievances and make recommendations to resolve the impasse.