Farmers' protest enters Day 55, SC-appointed panel holds first meeting on new farm laws
TNN Bureau. Updated: 1/19/2021 4:27:25 PM
National
New Delhi, Jan 19: The first meeting of the Supreme Court-appointed panel on the new farm laws was held here on Tuesday, sources said.
According to the sources, the committee will hold its first round of talks with farmers and other stakeholders on January 21.
Prior to the meeting of the three-member panel, Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson for the Bharatiya Kisan Union said the farmer unions will not attend the first meet of SC panel.
The three-member appointed committee consists of Agriculture Economist Ashok Gulati, Dr Pramod Kumar Joshi, a leading agri scientist and Shetkari Sangathana president Anil Ghanwat. Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Bhupinder Singh Mann, however, had recused himself from the panel last week.
The four-member committee was appointed by the Supreme Court to mediate with protesting farmers over the newly-enacted three agriculture reform laws.
The Supreme Court on January 11 pulled up the Centre over the handling of farmers' agitation and asked the government, if it would suspend implementation of the three farm laws or the court should step in.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde and also comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramaniam, while hearing petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the three farm laws, expressed concern over the Centre's handling the protests and proposed to form a committee.
Tenth round of talks between the Centre and the agitating farmers to end the logjam over the three farm laws which was to be held on Tuesday will now be held on January 20.
According to sources close to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, the meeting will now take place on January 20.
The farmers' protest over the three farm laws entered the 55th day on Tuesday, as the protesters continued their stir at various entry points of the National Capital region.
The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) on Monday had asserted repealing of three Acts and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (EB 2020) as the only agenda to begin the meaningful dialogue.
The ninth round of talks between the Centre and the striking farmer unions on January 15 failed to resolve the deadlock over the three farm laws.
Meanwhile, Mr Tomar on Monday had said that the Government has boldly enacted new agricultural reform laws.
He said the reforms will prove very helpful for the farmers and they will raise their standard of living.
It was stated by the Union Agriculture Minister at a national conference on agricultural reforms.