TLI Staff
New Delhi: In what is being seen as a big loss of face for the all-powerful Modi government, the Supreme Court has put on hold the implementation of three controversial farm laws and formed a four-member committee to examine them.
“We are staying three farm laws until further orders,” Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde said.
The order has come a day after the top court expressed its displeasure over handling of the farmer issue by the government. The CJI had made several sharp comments on the way the entire crisis has been handled so far.
“Each one of us will be responsible if anything goes wrong. We don’t want any injuries or blood on our hands,” the Chief Justice had said on Monday.
Farmers from across the country especially Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been on war path with the central government on the issue and want withdrawal of the three laws passed hurriedly by the Parliament last September.
The protesting farmers have appreciated the top court order to put the three laws in abeyance but have stated that they will not settle for anything other than the repeal of the disputed laws.
In eight rounds of talks and negotiations with the central Ministers and officials, farmer leaders have stuck to their demand for complete repeal of the three laws saying the new legislations would help corporates and not farming community. Thousands of farmers have been camping on key highways connecting the national capital.
With government not budging from its position and refusing to withdraw the three laws, farmers have threatened that they will launch a protest march in the city on Republic Day.
While the government has maintained that the new laws were in the best interest of the farmers and will help increase their income, farmers have refused to buy the argument. They have said that the new laws were aimed at eventually doing away with the minimum support price (MSP) for various crops.
Fearing that MSP could be abolished, the farmers have demanded legislative backing for the same. The government has rejected the proposal but stated that the current system of procurement of crops will continue.
Farmers have, however, made it amply clear that they will not call off the agitation till their demands are met. As many as four farmers have committed suicide at protest site and many protesters have died due to extreme cold weather conditions.
With no solutions in sight and both parties refusing to step back from their stands, the Supreme Court wants an amicable solution to the lingering problem.
“These are matters of life and death. We are concerned with laws. We are concerned with lives and property of people affected by the agitation. We are trying to solve the problem in the best way. One of the powers we have is to suspend the legislation,” the Chief Justice said today while ordering to suspend the three laws.
Also read: Untold facts of 3 farm laws Part I: Why law needs a tweak
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