Noting that the Centre’s negotiations with farmers protesting against the agricultural reform laws have not yielded any results, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said it could form a committee to work out a solution between the two sides. The ongoing protests, which is now in its third week, have seen thousands of farmers, primarily from Punjab and Haryana, gathering at the capital’s doorstep.
Hearing a batch of petitions seeking removal of farmers protesting near Delhi borders, a bench of Chief Justice of India S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian issued a notice to the Centre and posted the matter for hearing on Thursday.
Five rounds of meetings have taken place between the government and the representatives of thousands of farmers who have been protesting at the borders of the national capital. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also met the farmers. But the farmers have rejected the government’s offer to make amendments to the three new laws enacted in September. They want the laws scrapped altogether and say mere assurances on MSP will not do.
A series of petitions were filed before the Supreme Court, both for and against the protest.
One petition wanted the protesters to be removed to a designated place in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Another sought the court’s direction to the Centre to consider the farmers’ demands. It also wants the National Human Rights Commission to investigate if there was any police assault on the farmers.
A third petition wants the top court to allow the farmers enter Delhi and protest at Jantar Mantar.
One of the petitioners argued that proper care like shelter, sanitation, food to be provided to farmers at the borders and wanted an amicable solution to the issue.
“Most of these petitions appear to be ill-conceived. We don’t see any legal issue except freedom of movement that is admittedly caused by people who are not party before us,” Justice Bobde said.
Tens of thousands of farmers have been camping on the outskirts of Delhi since late November, demanding the government repeal the laws that they say will eventually dismantle the country’s regulated markets and leave them open to exploitation by private buyers.
Earlier today, sources said the government was likely to discuss the possibility of exempting key states like Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh from farm bills and giving an assurance that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism will continue at today’s Union cabinet meeting.
