Not on any party or government’s side; present your views to us: SC-appointed panel to farmers

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The panel appointed by the Supreme Court to resolve grievances over the new farm laws held its first meeting today and aims to take the view of farmers and agriculture sector stakeholders besides central and state government, member Anil Ghanwat said on Tuesday.

The committee will maintain objectivity and not let personal views on these Acts come in the way of their deliberations, Ghanwat said. He asserted that they are not on the side of any party or the government.

“The biggest challenge for panel is to convince agitating farmers to come and speak with us. We will try our best,” he said.

After their first meeting here, Ghanwat said the first round of consultations with farmers and other stakeholders has been scheduled for Thursday.

Apart from Ghanwat, agri-economists Ashok Gulati and Pramod Kumar Joshi are the other members of the panel.

Bhartiya Kisan Union President Bhupinder Singh Mann recused himself from the committee last week.

The committee has been appointed by the Supreme Court and it is up to the apex court whom to appoint, he said on whether any replacement would be made for Mann. “We have been given a responsibility and we will fulfil it properly,” Ghanwat said.

“We want to request those farmers who don’t want to come before us that we are neither from any party nor from the government side. We are from the Supreme Court side,” he said on allegations by the agitating unions and opposition parties that all the members were pro-government.

“Come and talk to us. We will listen to you and present your views before the court. We request them to come and speak to us,” Ghanwat said.

The apex court had constituted a four-member committee on January 11 after staying the implementation of the new farm laws, which had led to protests by thousands of farmers across Delhi borders since November.

The panel will hear views of farmers across the country, both who support and oppose the new farm laws and submit a report within two months to the apex court.

The tenth round of negotiations between the centre and farmer leaders is underway.