Supreme Court hints at formation of an expert committee to resolve farmers’ issues
The Bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian observed, "because this will soon become a national issue and with Government, it won't work out it seems.".
Hearing a batch of pleas seeking a direction to the authorities to immediately remove the farmers who are protesting at several border points of Delhi against three new farm laws, the Supreme Court today indicated that it may form a committee of experts to resolve the matter. Supreme Court said the committee may include representatives from the government as well as the various framers’ bodies.
The Bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian observed, “because this will soon become a national issue and with Government, it won’t work out it seems.”. The court gave its reaction to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta while hearing the petitions.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, December 16, also issued notice to Centre and Haryana and Punjab State governments to file their responses on the matter.
Meanwhile, the court also asked the petitioners to make the farmers’ unions as parties in the case.
Apparently, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions protesting against the new farm laws, sent a letter to the Centre on Wednesday, December 16, asking it to stop holding “parallel talks” with other farmer bodies over the contentious legislation.
The ‘Sanyukt Kisan Morcha’, which represents farmer bodies mostly from Punjab, wrote the letter when it came to know that the government is engaging several farmers organizations from different states to explain the benefits of the new farm laws.
Ironically, the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha believes all those who are not a part of their union are not the farmers at all, and therefore, they do not have the right to represent them.
The Supreme Court will continue its hearing on Thursday, December 17 as well. It is believed that the court might issue some directions to resolve the tussle going on between the government and the various farmers’ unions.
