Tanvi Sinha
Of the four experts that were to speak regarding the farmer protests, selected by the Supreme Court for negotiations with farmers, Bhupinder Singh Mann withdrew from the panel.
The court had on 12th January selected four agriculturalists that they considered well informed on the topic to speak to the farmers.
Apart from Bhupinder Singh Mann the panel included Anil Ghanwat (President of Shetkari Sangathan), Pramod Kumar Joshi (International Food Policy Research Institute) and Ashok Gulati (Agricultural economist).
Mann is the president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, and had earlier been nominated to the Rajya Sabha because of his work for farmers.
He withdrew from the committee in order to stay impartial with the protests and due to public sentiment tied with the protest.
He says that while he is thankful to the Supreme Court for the nomination, he as a union leader and a farmer cannot, in view of the apprehension in the farmers unions, take the position. He states that he will always stand for farmers and for Punjab.
Earlier the Top Court had put a stay on the implementation of the farm laws and had also delivered “harsh” words, as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta called it, to the Centre about not having resolved the issue.
On 11th January the Apex court had spoken of the appointment of a retired CJI on the committee as well, however on Tuesday CJI Bobde instead announced 4 agricultural experts for the panel.
The panel in general seems to be in favour of the Farm Laws, thereby the farmers are not satisfied with it.
The Supreme Court planned for the panel to be a medium of sorts by hearing the Centre as well as the Farmers Bodies and then state their recommendations.
