Protest to continue, committee members are pro-government: Farmer unions on SC decision

Hours after the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of three farm laws, the farmer union leaders who are protesting against the laws for over a month said the agitation will "go on as usual".

They also alleged that the members who are in the committee set up by the Supreme Court for talks are pro-government and had been justifying the laws of the government.

"We had said yesterday itself that we won't appear before any such committee. Our agitation will go on as usual. All the members of this Committee are pro-government and had been justifying the laws of the government. The formation of the committee is an act to divert attention from the issue," Balbir Singh Rajewal, Bhartiya Kisan Union (R) said while addressing a press conference here at Singhu border, where farmers are protesting against the farm laws for over a month now.

Asked about the farmers' views on Supreme Court advice regarding removing senior citizens and women's presence from the protest site, Rajewal said, "Seniors don't want to leave the protest site. No one will leave the protest sites till the laws are repealed."

Rajewal said the programmes, which were scheduled for January 26, will be peaceful.

"Our January 26 programme will be completely peaceful, the way the rumour is spread like we are going to attack an enemy country. After January 15, we will outline our January 26 programme," he said.

On January 2, Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a joint front of almost 40 farmer orgsations threatened that farmers will march into Delhi on January 26 with their tractors, trolleys and other vehicles if their demands are not met and also said a "farmers' republic parade" will take place after the official parade.

Meanwhile, Krantikari Kisan Union chief Darshan Pal said the farmers' union will not accept any committee formed by the Supreme Court for mediation.

"We had issued a press note last night stating that we won't accept any committee formed by Supreme Court for mediation. We were confident that the Centre will get a committee formed through the Supreme Court to take the burden off their shoulders," Rajewal said.

"We will celebrate Lohri tomorrow and will burn the copies of three farm laws. On January 18 we will celebrate Women's day and on January 20 we will celebrate the Prakash Purab of Guru Gobind Singh," he added.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the implementation of three farms laws until further orders and formed a four-member committee to hold talks with farmers over the Acts.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde heard a batch of petitions, including those filed by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva, RJD MP Manoj K Jha, regarding the constitutional validity of three farm laws, passed by the Central government along with the plea to disperse protesting farmers.

Farmers have been protesting at the different borders of the national capital since November last year, against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

( With inputs from ANI )