SC-constituted panel holds talks with 32 farm unions from 9 states even as stir continues

The Supreme Court-constituted committee held multiple with farmers' unions across the country from February 3-5 to resolve the standoff over the farm laws. Even as BKU president Bhupinder Singh Mann has opted out of the panel, the three other members- agricultural economist Ashok Gulati, Pramod Kumar Joshi- Director, South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute and Shetkari Sanghatana president Anil Ghanwat interacted with 32 farm unions from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal on Wednesday and Thursday. These unions not only gave their frank views about the agrarian laws but also gave suggestions to improve the implementation of the laws.

Earlier in the day, the panel held detailed discussions with top officials of State Marketing Boards, Private Mandi Operators and Food Parks of Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh. Earlier on January 12, the apex court stayed the implementation of the farm laws and made it clear that the MSP system shall continue. The committee has been directed to solicit the views of the farm unions and the Centre. Moreover, this panel will submit its recommendations pertaining to the farm laws to the SC within two months from the date of its first sitting. However, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha has decided against participating in the proceedings of the SC-formed committee. 

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Impasse over farm laws

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances.

At present, the talks between the Union government and the farmers' unions have come to a standstill. This is owing to the fact that farm associations refused to agree to the Centre's proposal for suspending the implementation of the aforesaid legislation for one and a half years. While the last round of talks lasted for nearly 5 hours, the farmers claimed that the two sides sat face-to-face for less than 30 minutes. The divide between the two sides further exacerbated on January 26 after the farmers' tractor rally turned violent resulting in 510 Delhi police personnel getting injured and extensive damage to public property.

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