Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers protest: Panel member recuses self on eve of government-union talks

NEW DELHI/BATHINDA: A day before the ninth round of talks between the government and farm unions opposed to the new agri laws, B S Mann, one of the four members of the Supreme Court-appointed committee set up to examine the legislations, opted out of the panel saying he was doing so in view of “prevailing sentiments” and apprehensions of farmers. The decision of the national president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and chairman of the pro-reform umbrella body AIKCC was welcomed by the agitating unions who urged the other three members to also recuse from the committee formed to discuss various aspects of the laws with stakeholders and submit its report to the apex court within two months. Interestingly, talks between the 40-odd unions, mainly from Punjab and a few from Haryana and western UP, with the Centre are on course with the discussions on Friday expected to centre around the demand for a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP). Yogendra urges Gulati to also quit Indicating the agenda, farmer representative Darshan Pal told TOI, “We will attend the meeting with central ministers and discuss various aspects related to MSP of various crops and state procurement of crops. We want the government to give a legal guarantee on MSP and see how it reacts to it.” This could mean that unlike the last round, where talks couldn’t make headway as the unions brought up the repeal demand upfront, there might be a discussion on MSP. Meanwhile, Mann tweeted his recusal from the SC panel a day after agitating farm groups rejected the committee and said its members were pro-farm laws. The unions also said they would reject the panel even if it was expanded to include more members. “As a farmer myself and a union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions among the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country,” Mann said. His move comes in the wake of the anti-farm laws unions deciding not to appear before the panel. The committee’s mandate suggests it is to offer improvements and deletions but not recommend scrapping the laws. Immediately after Mann’s announcement, Jai Kisan Andolan’s leader Yogendra Yadav urged agriculture expert Ashok Gulati, a member of the panel, to follow suit while other leaders from the anti-farm laws umbrella body, AIKSCC, appealed to Shetkari Sanghatana chief Anil Ghanwat to opt out. Urging Gulati to leave the panel, Yadav tweeted: “He (Gulati) is the intellectual father of these three Acts. We can agree to disagree. But I hope he will agree that he cannot be an umpire in a match where he has taken part as a player.” The other members are, however, not going to leave the committee. Anil Ghanwat confirmed it to TOI that he would not leave the panel. Though Mann-led AIKCC supports the central farm laws, the umbrella body in its memorandum to agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar had last month suggested the ministry to make these legislations optional for the states to accept or reject the three newly enacted central Acts. Despite its support, the group had, however, demanded complete abolition of the Essential Commodities Act (ECA), saying continuing this law in even a diluted form will nullify whatever positive effects that freedom from APMC markets may render the farmers. They referred to the amendment which the government made in the ECA by making provisions of doing away with imposition of stockholding limits on farm commodities except under “extraordinary circumstances”. Meanwhile, more than 800 women farmers and University students, under Jai Kisan Andolan and Youth for Swaraj, wrote an Open Letter to the Chief Justice of India drawing attention to the comments made in the Supreme Court undermining the participation of women farmers in the ongoing protests at Delhi borders. Referring to certain comments, they said such comments were completely unacceptable. “It will be deeply appreciated if the august institution of the Supreme Court is not a witness to such remarks,” they said. Kavitha Krunganthi, working group member of the AIKSCC and member of Mahila Kisan Aadhikar Manch, who is leading the delegation of the farmers’ unions on the complex issue of MSP, said that the Supreme Court's hearings, as well as orders in these cases, have turned out to be controversial and unacceptable. “One of the important points of concern is the paternalism and patriarchy reflected in observations/orders with regard to women farmers. We urge the respected institution of the Supreme Court to recognise and appreciate the agency of women in this matter,” she said. The statement of the Jai Kisan Andolan said, “During the hearing of the petitions seeking removal of the farmers from the protest site on January 11 and 12, some remarks were made about the participation of women in the farmers’ protest. It was reportedly said that the women and the old people should be sent back and that they should not participate in the present protests. This commentary in the Supreme Court is disrespectful of the fact that women are the major stakeholders in agriculture. It not only denies women their agency but also mocks the long-standing struggle of women engaged in farm work to be recognized as farmers.” Watch Farmers protest: BS Mann recuses self from SC appointed committee on farm laws

The Times of India

2021-01-15

India