Farmers Movement Archive

Member of SC-appointed panel writes to CJI over report on farm laws

Anil Ghanwat, one of the members of the Supreme Court-appointed committee on the three contentious farm laws, on Tuesday appealed to the top court to make public the report at the earliest or authorise the committee to do so.The panel, after studying the laws and consultation with stakeholders, had submitted its report to the apex court on March 19.In a letter to Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Ghanwat said: “After the government’s decision to repeal the farm laws in the coming Winter Session of the Parliament, the committee’s report is no longer relevant with regard to those laws but there are suggestions in the report on farmers’ issues that are of great public interest.”“The report can also play an educational role and ease the misapprehensions of many farmers who have, in my opinion, have been misguided by some leaders who do not seem to appreciate how a minimally regulated free market can allocate national resources to their most productive use,” he added. Ghanwat also requested the top court to direct the Union government to implement a consultative robust policy process for infusing reforms in the agricultural sector. Earlier too, in a letter dated September 1, Ghanwat had requested the CJI to release the report in public domain, saying its “recommendations will pave the way to resolve the ongoing farmers’ agitation.”On January 12 this year, the Supreme Court, while staying the implementation of the three farm laws amid continuous protests, had constituted a three-member committee to look into these laws and suggest reforms.Ashok Gulati (agri economist and former chairman of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) and Pramod Kumar Joshi (agri economist and Director for South Asia at International Food Policy Research Institute) are the remaining two members of the committee. Meanwhile, Ghanwat, who is a senior leader of Maharashtra-based farmers’ union Shetkari Sanghatana, told reporters on Tuesday that he would be soon travelling across the country to unite farmers in support of reforms in the agriculture sector.

Hindustan Times

24-11-2021

India