News Analysis India

Tag: Agri Laws 2020

  • CJI Bobde fumes at aspersions being cast on farm law committee members

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Taking strong exception to the aspersions cast on the four-member committee set up the Supreme Court to resolve the stalemate over the agri laws, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde on Wednesday said no one had a right to malign people’s reputation. 

    The remarks came during the hearing of a plea filed by Kisan Mahapanchayat seeking reconstitution of the panel after the recusal of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Mann) leader B S Mann. 

    The bench headed by the CJI and also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian issued notice to the Centre seeking its response and posted the matter for hearing after two weeks.

    During the hearing, senior advocate Dushyant Dave and advocate Prashant Bhushan told the bench that the farmer unions they were representing were not interested in participating in the deliberations to be held by the committee as they were firm on their demand for repeal of the laws. 

    “If you don’t want to appear before the committee, we can’t compel you. But you can’t malign people like this and cast aspersions on them and the court. We have serious objections that members of the committee are criticised and called names,” the CJI said.

    ALSO READ: Narendra Modi government withdraws plea on farmers’ tractor rally as SC says won’t intervene

    Taking note of submissions that opinions on the panel members had been formed on the basis of media reports about their pro-farm laws views, a visibly annoyed CJI said, “You cannot brand people like this… Everyone argues before a judge as if he is arguing on a clean slate but branding people has become a cultural thing now. Even judges express views during hearing. That doesn’t mean they can’t decide an issue.” 

    Noting that the basis of the plea was that all its current members had earlier expressed views in favour of the laws and hence, were biased, the CJI questioned, “How do you come to that conclusion? They are brilliant minds in the field of agriculture. They are experts. How can you malign them because they expressed some views in the past?… The Supreme Court appoints a committee and their reputation is torn to shreds.”

    ALSO READ: Narendra Modi government proposes to put farm laws on hold for two years to break the ice

    The bench said the committee had not been given powers to adjudicate and its role was only to hear the grievances of the parties impacted and report to the court. 

    UK MP concerned over NIA notices

    British Labour Party MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has raised the issue of NIA sending notices to a number of people who are associated with the farmers’ stir in New Delhi.

    Asking a question to the Foreign Minister in the Parliament, Dhesi said over 100 members of the House of Commons have signed and sent a cross-party letter to PM Boris Johnson about “our anxieties for the protesting farmers in India”.

    BJP MP’s terror quip triggers row

    A BJP lawmaker triggered a row in Rajasthan by alleging terrorists were part of the farmers’ protest at Delhi borders.

    In a video clip, Dausa MP Jaskaur Meena is heard saying, “Terrorists are sitting there with AK-47s and have pitched the Khalistan flag.”

    ALSO READ: Terrorists sitting at farmers’ protest sites, says BJP MP; kicks up row in Rajasthan

    State BJP spokesperson Ramlal Sharma justified Meena’s comment while Congress chief G S Dotasara said the people were ashamed to have voted for her. 

    Congress to join long march in Mumbai

    The Congress in Maharashtra will participate in the ‘long march’ planned by farmer organisations in Mumbai on January 25 against the agri laws.

    Former Congress minister Naseem Khan said the party will support the four-day agitation organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha beginning January 23.

    State Congress leaders, including chief Balasaheb Thorat, will join the march to Raj Bhavan on January 25.

  • Narendra Modi government withdraws plea on farmers’ tractor rally as SC says won’t intervene

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The Centre on Wednesday withdrew its plea seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor rally being planned by the farmers’ groups on January 26 against the new agriculture laws after the Supreme Court allowed the Delhi Police to withdraw the application, saying “it is a police matter”. 

    The bench headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde refused to keep the application pending, asserting that “this is not a matter for the court to decide. You (the police) have the powers under the law”.

    During the hearing, Attorney General K K Venugopal informed the court that 5,000 tractors were going to enter Delhi for the rally. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also demanded that the case be considered on January 25, after seeing how the situation develops.

    ALSO READ: Narendra Modi government proposes to put farm laws on hold for two years to break the ice

    “No, no. This is not a matter for the court to decide. You have the powers under the law. It’s highly inappropriate for the court to act as the first authority to allow or disallow protesters. We can allow you to withdraw the application. You are the executive and you have the power to look into this. It’s an issue of law and order and of the police,” the court said.

    The Delhi Police had approached the SC seeking direction to stop farmers’ proposed tractor rally on Republic Day. 

    “Right to protest is always subject to the countervailing public order and the public interest. The right to protest can never include maligning the nation globally,” Delhi Police had submitted.

    ALSO READ: Terrorists sitting at farmers’ protest sites, says BJP MP; kicks up row in Rajasthan

    Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for some farmer unions, said that farmers are convinced that the new farm laws are against them.

    “Suppose, we uphold the law then you protest. You counsel them properly. The only rider is to ensure that the people of Delhi are in peace,” the bench said.

    The bench said the authorities can record the statement of Bhushan’s clients that they also want peace and they should talk on the issue.

  • Narendra Modi government proposes to put farm laws on hold for two years to break the ice

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH:  The tenth round of talks with the protesting farmers on Wednesday opened a window of opportunity to break the deadlock on the contentious farm laws with the Centre proposing to constitute a new committee as also keeping the laws on hold for two years or more and the farmers agreeing to consider them.

    The two sides will meet again on Friday, when the farmers are expected to spell out their stand on the suggestions after holding consultations among themselves on Thursday.

    The fact that the government came out with new proposals and the farmers agreed to examine them are being seen as signs of accommodation from both sides.

    ALSO READ: Terrorists sitting at farmers’ protest sites, says BJP MP; kicks up row in Rajasthan

    Until Wednesday, the government’s consistent stand was that it was ready to amend the laws while the farmers remained firm in their repeal-or-nothing demand.

    Sources said the Centre, during the meeting, urged the farmers to consider its proposal for an hour separately. The two sides broke off into different rooms following which the farmer unions agreed to consider the offer. However, they insisted that their demand of repealing the laws still stands.

    Krantikari Kisan Union president Darshan Pal said, “Just because we have decided to discuss this new proposal of the government and decided to hold a string of meetings tomorrow between ourselves does not mean that we have backtracked from our demand of a repeal of the three laws.”

    The opportunity to end the impasse comes days ahead of the crucial budget session of Parliament beginning on January 29. With the Opposition gathering ammunition to attack the government on the farm laws, the Centre appears to keen to resolve the stand-off before the session.

    ALSO READ: Will not participate in meetings of court-appointed committee – Farmers Unions to SC

    According to sources, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the farmers that the Centre was even ready to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court on putting off the laws for an extended period to dispel any doubts in their minds.

    He also stressed that a consensus should be reached between the two sides before the meeting ends as it was the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh’s Parkash Parv.

    “There is some positive response from the government and a new offer was on the table. The unions accepted it and a final decision will be taken by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha,” Hannan Mollah of the All India Kisan Sabha said.

    On the Centre’s demand to call off the tractor rally, farmer unions refused to do so till an agreement is arrived at on repealing the farm laws.

    The Centre, according to sources, asked the farmers to approach the Supreme Court if it wanted a repeal. 

    NIA probe and arrests of persons supporting the protests were also discussed. Farmer leaders said that the Centre assured that people associated with the movement will not be harassed and intimidated by the agency. 

    Out-of-the-box ideas

    Three contentious new farm sector laws to be put on ice for two years or more

    To seek repeal of the laws, farmers are free to go to the SC

    For anything short of repeal, a new committee comprising members from both sides can be formed to thrash out the differences, clause by clause

    Issue of legal sanctity to MSP can also be discussed

    Govt to file fresh affidavit in SC on extending the duration of putting the laws in abeyance

  • SC irked over aspersions cast on members of court-appointed committee on farm laws

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Wednesday expressed strong displeasure over the aspersions cast by some farmers’ unions on members of the court-appointed committee to resolve the impasse over new farm laws and said it has not given any adjudicating authority to the panel.

    The Centre, meanwhile, withdrew its petition seeking injunction against the proposed tractor rally by farmers on the Republic Day after the apex court said it was police matter.

    On the issue pertaining to the committee, a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said it had appointed experts in the panel as the judges are not experts on the subject.

    Controversy had erupted after the apex court appointed the four-member committee as some of the members had earlier reportedly expressed their views and favoured the contentious farm laws, following which one of the members had recused himself.

    ALSO READ: Farmer unions build up for Republic Day tractor parade with village-level rallies

    “Where is the question of bias in this? We have not given adjudicating powers to the committee. You don’t want to appear is understandable, but casting aspersions on someone because he expressed his view is not done. You don’t need to brand anybody like this,” said the bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

    “Everyone should have an opinion. Even judges have opinion. This has become a cultural thing. Branding people which you do not want has become a norm. We have not given any power of adjudication to the committee,” the bench said.

    During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing, the Centre withdrew its plea seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor rally on January 26 by farmers protesting against the new farms laws after the top court said “it is a police matter”.

    The police has the “authority” to deal with the issue pertaining to the proposed tractor march in Delhi on the Republic Day, the bench said.

    ALSO READ: We have constitutional right to take out tractor rally on January 26: Farmer unions post SC verdict

    “We have told you that we will not issue any direction. It is a police matter. We will allow you to withdraw. You are the authority and you have to deal with it.You have the powers to pass orders, you do it. It is not for the court to pass orders,” the bench said.

    After the observation of the apex court, the Centre withdrew the plea filed through Delhi Police seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor or trolley march or any other kind of protest which seeks to disrupt the gathering and celebrations of the Republic Day.

    On January 12, the top court had stayed the implementation of the contentious new farm laws till further orders and constituted the four-member committee to make recommendations to resolve the impasse over them between the Centre and farmers’ unions protesting at Delhi borders.

    The members of the court-appointed committee were — Bhupinder Singh Mann, National President of Bhartiya Kisan Union, All India Kisan Coordination Committee; Parmod Kumar Joshi, Director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute; Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist and former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, and Anil Ghanwat, President of Shetkari Sanghatana.

    Later, Mann had recused himself from the committee after the controversy.

    The top court had on January 12 said it would hear the pleas against the farm laws after eight weeks when the committee would give its suggestions to resolve the impasse after talking to the protesters and the government.

    Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi for over a month now against the three laws — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act.

    Enacted in September 2020, the government has presented these laws as major farm reforms aimed at increasing farmers’ income, but the protesting farmers have raised concerns that these legislations would weaken the minimum support price (MSP) and “mandi” (wholesale market) systems and leave them at the mercy of big corporations.

    The government has maintained that these apprehensions are misplaced and has ruled out a repeal of the laws.

  • Protesting farmers start facility for ironing clothes at Singhu border

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Protesting farmers at the Singhu border here have started a facility for ironing washed garments to dry them faster as the natural process now takes longer than usual amid the cold weather in and around Delhi.

    Sarvan Singh, whose livelihood as an auto-rickshaw driver in Amritsar took a hit as he is helping run the service for the protesting farmers, said it was necessary to be part of the movement even though his children want him back home.

    “After the rains we realised that while the clothes were getting washed, they were taking really long to dry. So we thought getting a couple of irons would solve the problem,” he said.

    ALSO READ: Start on a clean slate – P Chidambaram to government ahead of talks with protesting farmers

    Singh arrived at the Singhu border protest site a week ago.

    “This protest is for everybody, and I wanted to help in whatever way we can, so when we realised that there was a need for ironing facility, we decided to fill the gap,” he added.

    The service is being run from a stall at the protest site with three-four men working for over 10 hours daily in four-hour shifts.

    ALSO READ: Farmers have constitutional right to take out rally – Unions

    Currently they have two irons and as many ironing tables, but they are hoping to get more.

    Power is supplied from an electricity tower located on the highway, right opposite where they have set shop.

    “We have paid for these irons and tables from our own pockets, but it would help if we manage to get more supply,” Sarvan Singh said.

    ALSO READ: Such arm-twisting tactics won’t weaken farmers’ resolve: Amarinder on NIA notices to union leaders

    He is joined in his shift by Sewa Singh from Ludhiana who actually irons clothes for a living back home.

    “We get nearly 200-250 clothes in four hours,” Sewa Singh said.

    Asked if he was incurring losses in his business back home, the Ludhiana man said there was nothing more important than the protest.

    “We are all farmers. Even though we do other jobs to make some income, we work on our fields too, and right now protecting that is our main objective.

    “Right now, my brothers are taking care of the shop at home, while I am here,” he said.

    Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting on Delhi borders for almost two months against the Centre’s three new farm laws enacted in September last year.

    The farmers have alleged these laws will end the mandi and MSP procurement systems and leave them at the mercy of big corporates, even as the government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced.

    The three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector.

  • Start on a clean slate: P Chidambaram to government ahead of talks with protesting farmers

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Ahead of the tenth round of talks between the Centre and agitating farmers, Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday urged the ruling dispensation to start afresh and keep the past aside.

    Nine rounds of talks have taken place between the government and agitating farmer unions without any concrete resolution, while the tenth round is scheduled to be held on Wednesday.

    “‘Start on a clean slate’ is the only way forward,” Chidambaram tweeted.

    ALSO READ: Farmers have constitutional right to take out rally – Unions

    “The government should offer to begin afresh and hold talks on what needs to be done and what needs to be avoided,” he said.

    The Congress leader also wondered how one could expect a positive outcome when the government refuses to keep the past aside.

    “How can we expect any positive outcome when government refuses to keep the past aside and start on a clean state,” he said on Twitter.

    ALSO READ: Such arm-twisting tactics won’t weaken farmers’ resolve: Amarinder on NIA notices to union leaders

    Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, are protesting on Delhi borders for almost two months against the Centre’s three new farm laws enacted in September last year.

    The farmers have alleged these laws will end the mandi and MSP procurement systems and leave them at the mercy of big corporates, even as the government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced.

  • Opinions can change, says CJI Bobde; defends farm panel

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: A day before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the plea related to farmers’ protest, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde remarked that person is not disqualified to be a member of a committee merely because he/she has previously expressed an opinion on the subject matter which is under consideration by that committee.

    “There is a very peculiar lack of comprehension about constitution of a committee,” said a three-judge bench, comprising CJI Bobde and Justices L Nageswara Rao and Vineet Saran. 

    ALSO READ: Not scared of PM Narendra Modi, will continue to oppose three farm laws, says Rahul Gandhi

    “There is some confusion regarding the law. One person may have an opinion before being part of the committee, but his opinion can change. There is no way that such a person cannot be part of the committee,” the CJI said.

    Though the remarks were made during the hearing of a case pertaining to inefficiencies in criminal trial, it assumes significance as the SC had come under criticism not only from farmers but also political parties over the nomination  of members to the committee that was set up to resolve the stalemate over the three farm laws.

    ALSO READ: Farmers have constitutional right to take out rally – Unions

    The farmers have rejected the panel saying all the four members had backed the contentious laws. After the uproar, one of the members — Bhupinder Singh Mann —recused himself from the committee citing the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farmers. 

  • Congress wants to derail government-farmers talks: BJP 

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of working to derail the ongoing talks between the Centre and farmers’ unions, hitting back at Opposition party’s leader Rahul Gandhi over his attack on the Narendra Modi government over farm laws and national security.        

    Senior BJP leader and Union minister Prakash Javadekar said the Congress does not want the talks to succeed and has resorted to obstructive tactics. 

    “The Congress is adopting the strategy of protest-obstacle. The presser of Gandhi shows the desperation of the Congress. The talks with the farmers continue and we are confident that it will succeed,” said the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting at the BJP headquarters. 

    ALSO READ: Not scared of PM Narendra Modi, will continue to oppose three farm laws, says Rahul Gandhi

    BJP chief J P Nadda had early in the day posted a series of questions to Gandhi after the latter addressed a press conference to attack the government.

    “When is the Rahul Gandhi and the Congress stop spreading falsehood on matters related to China? Can he refute that thousands of kms of areas, including the place stated by him in Arunachala Pradesh was gifted to China by none other than (former PM Jawahar Lal) Nehru?” asked Nadda in his tweets. 

    Both Nadda and Javadekar reiterated that the Congress had promised in the party manifesto of steps to reform the agricultural marketing. Reacting to the unveiling of the book ‘Kheti ka khoon’ by Gandhi, Javadekar charged that the Congress has an apparent love for the word ‘khoon (blood)’. 

    ALSO READ: Farmers have constitutional right to take out rally – Unions

    “Weren’t the 1984 riots and the consequent massacre of Sikhs across the country khoon ki kheti (harvest of blood),” asked Javadekar. 

    ‘No change in our route of tractor rally on R-Day’  

    CHANDIGARH: Farm union leaders have told the Delhi Police that a peaceful tractor march and tableux depicting the lives of farmers will be taken out on the Outer Ring Road in the national capital.

    The unions said the police ited traffic and security constraints on the Outer Ring Road to request them for choosing an alternative route, but the proposal was turned down.

    ALSO READ: Supreme Court panel to meet farmer leaders on Thursday

    “We told the police not to waste our time. We will carry out our tractor rally as per schedule. But we assured them that it will be peaceful and we will return to our demonstration sites,’’ a farm leader said. A large number of tableuxs depicting the culture of  different states will form the part of the parade and we are under construction,’’ he said.

    Similarly, Swaraj India’s Yogendra Yadav said the tractor parade will be taken out on the route which has already been planned before. 

  • Not scared of PM Narendra Modi, will continue to oppose three farm laws: Rahul Gandhi

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Launching a scathing attack on the Centre, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the new farm laws are designed to “destroy” the agriculture sector and hand it over to three or four crony capitalists, asserting that the only solution to the farmers’ issue is to repeal the Acts.

    “The three new laws are designed to destroy Indian agriculture. How have they designed to do it, by destroying the mandi, by destroying the Essential Commodities Act and by making sure that no Indian farmer can go to court to protect himself and to me.

    ALSO READ: Farmers have constitutional right to take out rally – Unions

    It is a tragedy that this entire country is just watching this ridiculous show. It is a tragedy because it shows me that the country itself is not able to understand the depth of what is happening,” Gandhi said at a press conference where he released a booklet highlighting the “plight” of farmers in the wake of the three farm laws. 

    Responding to a question about BJP president JP Nadda’s remarks that he was distracting the farmers, the former Congress chief said he was not scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he was a “clean person” and he would continue to fight alone even if no one sided with him. 

    ALSO READ: Supreme Court panel to meet farmer leaders on Thursday

    “Is J P Nadda my professor that I am answerable to him. Who is he?… I am not scared of Modi or anyone. I am a clean person, and they cannot touch me. They can shoot me. I will stand alone even if everyone is standing on the other side but will fight as it is my religion,” he said. 

    He said that even during the UPA government, the Congress stood with the farmers in Bhatta Parsaul.“Our farmers are sitting outside in the cold, I don’t know why Modi Ji thinks, this is something to be proud of. The whole world is looking and saying what is going on,” the Congress leader said. 

    Sharad Pawar, Uddhav  Thackeray to take part in protest in Mumbai

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav  Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar will take part in a protest to be staged in Mumbai in support of the farmers’ agitating against Centre’s three new farm laws on borders of New Delhi, state Minister Nawab Malik said on Tuesday.

    Some farmers’ organisations have planned to hold protests in Mumbai from January 23 to January 25.

    “Sharad Pawar will take part in the protest to be held at Azad Maidan (in south Mumbai) on January 25.

    ALSO READ: Such arm-twisting tactics won’t weaken farmers’ resolve: Amarinder on NIA notices to union leaders

    The NCP has opposed the farm laws. The chief minister and leaders of the ruling MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) will also take part,” said Malik, who is the national spokesperson of the NCP.

    Thousands of farmers from Nashik in Maharashtra had joined the ongoing protests at the borders of the national capital against the three new agricultural laws.

    Inappropriate to raise issues by foreign MPs: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

    NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday said that it’s not appropriate for Parliaments to comment on laws passed by other countries.  

    Birla made the remark at the virtual meeting of the Standing Committee of the Conference of the Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth, indirectly referring to MPs of various countries raising the contentious farm laws in their House.

    “The Covid pandemic has affected the functioning of Parliaments across the world. Even during the pandemic, some important legislative businesses were transacted by the Lok Sabha…,” Birla added.

    Notably, MPs in Canada, UK had spoken about the farm protests. Thirty-six British MPs had written United Kingdom foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, urging him to raise their concern with India over the farm protests.

  • Supreme Court panel to meet farmer leaders on Thursday

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The Supreme Court-appointed committee on the new farm laws held its first meeting on Tuesday and said it will meet farmer leaders and other stakeholders on Thursday, a day after talks between the farmers and the Centre. 

    Panel member Anil Ghanwat said both physical and virtual meeting facilities would be available.

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

    ALSO READ: Farmers have constitutional right to take out rally – Unions

    “We will meet all stakeholders, including corporates, to understand their view points. We will reach out to everyone who is concerned about the farm laws,” said a member.

    The SC had on January 11 stayed the implementation of the new laws and formed a four-member panel comprising Ashok Gulati, Anil Ghanwat, Bhupinder Singh Mann and Pramod Joshi.

    Shortly thereafter, Mann recused himself after the panel drew flak as all four are known supporters of the three laws.

    ALSO READ: Such arm-twisting tactics won’t weaken farmers’ resolve: Amarinder on NIA notices to union leaders

    While protesting farmers have already refused to meet the panel, one of its members said, “problems can be only resolved through dialogue. Farmers’ organisations should meet us. We will try our best to resolve the issue.”

    In a different case in the SC, Chief Justice of India S A Bobde remarked that a person will not be disqualified from being a member of a committee merely because he/she has previously expressed an opinion on the subject matter under consideration.