Farmers not to appear before proposed court-appointed committee
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Protesting farmers shout slogans as they sit along a blocked highway during a protest against the central government's recent agricultural reforms at the Ghazipur Delhi-Uttar Pradesh state border in New Delhi on January 11, 2021.
New Delhi: In a major development, "citing the stubborn attitude of the government" the protesting farmers have resolved not to approach the proposed court-appointed committee to solve the impasse over the contentious farm laws passed by the Central government.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said that it is the only authorized body to take decisions on the Farmers protest.
"We met lawyers in evening and after deliberation on pros and cons, we informed them that we are unanimously not agreeable to go before any committee that may be appointed by Supreme Court due to stubborn attitude of the government."
The Morcha expressed great respect to Supreme Court for comforting words expressed during Monday's hearing.
The farmer leaders deliberated with senior advocates Dushyant Dave, Prashant Bhushan, Gonsalves and HS Phoolka.
The leaders pointed that how the government has reasserted that they will not agree to discussion for repeal before the committee.
They also alleged the government of airing falsehood about the ongoing protest.
"Even in the Supreme Court, the government falsely claimed that the protest is confined only to Punjab all the while thousands of farmers from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states are at Delhi's borders," the Morcha said.
On Monday the Supreme Court, reiterated its earlier proposal to constitute a committee monitored by a former Chief Justice of India, while considering a bunch of petitions opposing the three farm laws and also the petitions seeking removal of the protesters from various Delhi borders.
The apex court asked the government and the petitioners to suggest two-three names of former chief justices including former Chief Justice R.M. Lodha who can head this panel.
The Chief Justice also divulged that he had asked former Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, to be part of the committee, who refused the suggestion since he doesn't understand Hindi, the IANS reported.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Central government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court wherein it states that the laws are beneficial to the farmers and they will not be repealed.
The protest against the three farm laws has passed 47 days. Though the government and the protesters hold eight rounds of talks to solve the stalemate, the attempts failed allegedly due to the adamant attitude of the Centre.
