Representatives of farmers have now urged the Supreme Court to select new people for the committee set up for discussions over the recently passed farm bills that they have been protesting against. The development came after President of Bharatiya Kisan Union Bhupinder Singh Mann, opted out of the four-member committee.
On the other hand, he National Investigation Agency (NIA) summoned Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu and farmers’ leader Baldev Singh Sirsa and 38 others. In response to the development, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged the central government was trying to intimidate the farmers.
“Strongly condemn Centre’s attempts to intimidate farmer leaders & supporters of #KisanAndolan by calling them for questioning by #NIA & ED. They aren’t anti-nationals. And after failure of talks for the 9th time, it’s absolutely clear that GOI is only trying to tire out farmers,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, the agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters on Sunday, “We had sent a proposal to farmer unions in which we agreed to address their apprehensions regarding mandis and traders’ registration among other things. The government has also agreed to discuss laws on stubble burning and electricity but unions only want the repeal of the laws. The farmer unions are not budging from their stance, they are constantly asking to repeal the laws. When the government enacts the law, it is for the whole country. Most of the farmers, scholars, scientists, and people working in the agriculture sector agree with these laws.
“If the Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of laws, then I think the question of repealing ends. We expect farmers to discuss the laws clause by clause on January 19 and give us options about what amendments can be brought in the laws other than repealing,” he added.