Protests To Continue, Say Farmers As SC Stays Implementation Of Three Farm Laws

In a massive win for the hundreds of thousands of farmers who had been protesting at the borders of Delhi for nearly 50 days, the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the implementation of all three farm laws.

While putting the laws on hold, the SC said it wants to solve the stalemate between the Centre and the farmers by setting up the committee.

BCCL

The bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde formed a committee comprising HS Mann, Pramod Kumar Joshi, Ashok Gulati and Anil Dhanwant to examine farm laws.

"We are concerned about protecting the lives and property of citizens of India and we want to solve the problem," said the bench.

"This is not politics. There is a difference between politics and judiciary and you will have to cooperate", it said to farmer unions.

Reuters

The protesting farmers who had fled their ground in the face of the Delhi winters and unseasonal rains said they welcomed the Supreme Court's order, but said they would not call off their protest until the legislations are repealed.

The Sankyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of around 40 protesting farmer unions, has called a meeting later in the day to decide the next course of action.

The farmer leaders said they are not willing to participate in any proceedings before a committee appointed by the Supreme Court, but a formal decision on this will be taken by the Morcha.

AFP

"We welcome the court's order to stay the implementation of the farm laws, but we want a complete repeal of these laws," Abhimanyu Kohar, a senior leader of the Morcha, told PTI.

Another farmer leader, Harinder Lokhwal, said the protest will continue until the contentious farm laws are repealed.

Many on social media welcomed the SC's decision and felt that the farmers should call off their protest now.

Thank you
Supreme court
Jai Jawan Jai Kisan#FarmLaws #SupremeCourt #FarmersProtest

¡ª Hemaram Saran (@saran_hemaram) January 12, 2021

Finally SC favored Govt by suspending laws temporarily.
It will create an atmosphere to portray #FarmersProtest as ¡®unwanted¡¯ now.
It will give an excuse to Pro-BJP mouthpieces to ask ¡®Now rules have been suspended, why farmers are still protesting?¡¯#FarmersAppealLawsRepeal

¡ª Kisan Ekta Morcha (@Kisanekmorcha) January 12, 2021

The latest amendment to the Preamble of Indian Constitution says: ¡°We the Judges of Supreme Court of India do hereby adopt, enact and give to the people of India their Constitution......¡± Long Live Indian Constitution and Democracy. #FarmersProtest #JudicialActivism https://t.co/mgwwBSieGG

¡ª Randhir Kumar (@Randhir_Kumar_) January 12, 2021

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) says Farmers Protest will continue .We have nothing to do with what happened in #SupremeCourt #FarmLaws #FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/AldYn0gTBT

¡ª Mahua Moitra Fans (@MahuaMoitraFans) January 12, 2021

The SC order is a setback to the government, which for nearly 50 days told the protesting farmers that a repeal of the laws is not an option.

The government has maintained that by opening up the agricultural procurement to private companies, the farmers will stand to benefit.

The farmers, however, rejected this and expressed apprehension of the collapse of APMCs and MSP.

AFP

On Monday, the apex court had pulled up the Centre for its handling of the farmers' protest against the new farm laws saying it is extremely disappointed with the way negotiations between them were going and it will constitute a committee headed by a former Chief Justice of India to resolve the impasse.

The eighth round of talks between the Centre and the farmer unions on January 7 headed nowhere as the Centre ruled out repealing the contentious laws, while the farmers' leaders said they are ready to fight till death and their 'ghar waapsi' will happen only after 'law waapsi'.