Bharatiya Kisan Union president Bhupinder Singh Mann has recused himself from the four-member committee appointed by the Supreme Court to resolve the impasse between farmers and the Centre over the new agri-marketing laws, he said on Thursday.
Opposition parties and protesting farmers’ unions had raised doubts on the panel, saying that its members had favoured the laws in the past.
Mann said he is thankful to the apex court for nominating him on the panel but would give up any position to prevent farmers’ interests from being ‘compromised’.
“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,” he said in a statement here.
“I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab,” Mann added.
S. Bhupinder Singh Mann Ex MP and National President of BKU and Chairman of All India Kisan Coordination Committee has recused himself from the 4 member committee constituted by Hon'ble Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/pHZhKXcVdT
— Bhartiya Kisan Union (@BKU_KisanUnion) January 14, 2021
On Tuesday, the apex court stayed the implementation of the three laws and ordered the formation of a committee to hear the grievances of the farmers and the opinion of the government.
Apart from Mann, Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra) president Anil Ghanwat, International Food Policy Research Institute's Pramod Kumar Joshi and agriculture economist Ashok Gulati were appointed on the panel.
While welcoming the stay on the implementation of the new laws, farmer unions have said they will not appear before the group. Their leaders claimed that the members of the committee are “pro-government”.
“The members of the SC-appointed committee are not dependable as they have been writing on how agri laws are pro-farmer. We will continue our agitation,” farmer leader Balbeer Singh Rajewal said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Paramjit Singh, a farmer from Madhya Pradesh, said: “This is a way to get us out of here. We respect the Supreme Court but we are not going to go back till the laws are repealed and we get a legal guarantee on minimum support price.”
“The representatives of all the farmers’ bodies, whether they are holding a protest or not and whether they support or oppose the laws shall participate in the deliberations of the committee and put forth their viewpoints,” it had said.
Many felt the Supreme Court’s intervention at this stage was to ensure there was no disturbance during the Republic Day celebration. The farmers have announced a parallel parade of tractors.
“Tell Modiji to change,” snapped Harbhajan Singh Sekhu, 80, as he distributed disposable plates at a langar, referring to the celebrations on Republic Day, angry that the government was refusing to heed the farmers.
“Jaane wale nahi hain. Nahi jaayenge, (We are not going back. We will not go),” Sekhu added.
Asked about the Supreme Court-appointed committee of experts to review the laws and whether they should give it time, most farmers refused to accept it.
The Supreme Court, however, expected them to participate.
The committee was asked to submit its report to the Supreme Court within two months of its first sitting, which is to take place within 10 days.
