New Delhi: Farmer leaders said Monday they would continue their agitation even if the government or the Supreme Court stays the implementation of the new farm laws. The farmer leaders, who said they were ‘sharing their personal opinion’, were also of the view that a stay is ‘not a solution’. This is because the ‘stay’ will only be for a fixed period of time.
The farmer leaders were reacting after the Supreme Court indicated that it may stay the implementation of the contentious farm laws. The apex court refused to grant more time to the Centre to explore the possibility of an amicable solution. It said it has already granted the government a ‘long rope’.
“We welcome the Supreme Court observation, but ending the protest is not an option. Any stay is only for a fixed period of time… Till the issue is taken up by the court again,” Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union president Gurnam Singh Chaduni said. The farmers want the laws to be repealed completely, he added. Bhog Singh Mansa, president of Indian Farmers Union (Mansa), said a stay on the laws is ‘no big deal’.
“A stay is not a solution. We are here to get these laws scrapped completely. The government has in a way already agreed to scrap the laws when it said it is willing to incorporate as many amendments as farmers want,” asserted Mansa.
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“We appeal to the Supreme Court to terminate these laws as these are not valid constitutionally. The protests will continue till the laws are not repealed or the BJP government completes its tenure,” he added.
Darshan Pal, president of Krantikari Kisan Union, said the farmer leaders are consulting their lawyers. A formal response will be given after the SC pronounces its verdict.
Pulling up the Centre for its handling of the farmers’ protest, the apex court Monday said it is ‘extremely disappointed’ with the way negotiations between them were going and will constitute a committee headed by a former Chief Justice of India (CJI) to resolve the impasse.
“We are not experts on economy. You tell us whether the government is going to put on hold farm laws or we will do this,” the bench said. “We are sorry to say that the Centre has not been able to solve the problem and the farmers’ agitation,” it added.
The eighth round of talks between the Centre and the farmer unions January 7 headed nowhere. The Centre ruled out repealing the contentious laws while the farmer leaders said they are ready to fight till death and their ‘ghar waapsi will happen only after law waapsi’.