India

Farm law crisis: Bhupinder Singh Mann recuses himself from SC-appointed 4-member committee

Updated : January 14, 2021 03:44 PM IST

I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab: BS Mann

In a major development in the farm law crisis, Bhupinder Singh Mann, President of Bhartiya Kisan Union, on Thursday recused himself from the Supreme Court-appointed a four-member committee for resolving the issue. The apex court had on Tuesday stayed the implementation of the controversial new farm laws till further orders, and decided to set up the four-member committee to resolve the impasse between the Centre and farmers' unions protesting at Delhi borders. The four members of the committee are Bhupinder Singh Mann, President of Bhartiya Kisan Union; Anil Ghanwat, President of Shetkeri Sangthana, Maharashtra; Pramod Kumar Joshi, director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute; and agriculture economist Ashok Gulati.

"While I'm thankful to the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India for nominating me in the 4 member committee to start the dialogue with the Kisan Unions on the three laws brought in by the Central Government. As a farmer myself and the 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 to me or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country, I am recusing myself from the Committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab," he said.

Also read: Know the 4 members in Supreme Court-appointed committee

The committee was asked to submit its report to the top court within two months of its first sitting, which is to take place within 10 days. The three contentious laws are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.

The farmers who have been camping at the Delhi borders for over a month are demanding a repeal of the farm laws and a legal guarantee to minimum support price for crops.

The apex court had also 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. 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'.

With inputs from PTI

Farm law crisis: Bhupinder Singh Mann recuses himself from SC-appointed 4-member committee

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