Farmers Protest: Bhupinder Singh Mann recuses himself from SC committee

Bhupinder Singh Mann, Ex MP and National President of BKU has recused himself from the four-member committee constituted by Supreme Court to resolve the impasse over farm laws. Mann, a former Rajya Sabha MP, is the president of National President of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) and Chairman of the All India Kisan Coordination Committee. The BKU is among the organisations that have taken part in protests against the farm laws.

"As a farmer myself and a Union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country, I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab," he said in a statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of farm laws -- the Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, till further orders and decided to set up a 4-member committee to resolve the impasse.

The members include Bhupinder Singh Mann; Anil Ghanwat, President of Shetkeri Sangthana, Maharashtra; Pramod Kumar Joshi, director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute, and agriculture economist Ashok Gulati.

A notable feature of the composition of the committee was that all four members have expressed open views in support of the implementation of the farm laws.