SC committee members backed farm laws, called protest ‘misguided; stay isn’t a solution: AIKSCC

Hours after the Supreme Court of India pronounced a stay order on the implementation of the farm laws till further orders and formed a four-member committee to hear stakeholders and submit a report to it, the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) – an umbrella body of farmers’ organizations – welcomed the suspension of the implementation of the laws as an interim measure but said it was not a solution.

It also welcomed the fact that the court did not pass any orders with regard to vacating protesting farmers from Delhi’s borders.

“Suspending the implementation of the laws as an interim measure is welcome but is not a solution and the farmer unions have not been asking for this solution, given the fact that the implementation can be reinstated at any time. The Govt. must withdraw. It must understand that farmers and people of India are opposed to the laws,” said a statement issued by the National Working Group of the AIKSCC.

It also reiterated the farmers’ stance of not participating in any committee process and said that “the court is being misguided by various forces even in the constitution of a committee”, pointing out that “these are people who are known for their support to the 3 acts and have actively advocated for the same”.

“Farmer unions reiterate the fact that they will not participate in any court-ordered committee process - further, one of their apprehensions about such a process got validated in the very constitution of the committee. It is clear that the Court is being misguided by various forces even in its constitution of a committee. These are people who are known for their support to the 3 Acts and have actively advocated for the same,” reads the statement issued by the AIKSCC.

It is pertinent to mention here that all four members of the SC appointed committee – Bharatiya Kisan Union Bhupinder Singh Mann, Dr. Pramod Kumar Joshi, agricultural economist Ashok Gulati and president of Shetkari Sanghatana Anil Ghanwat have expressed their support for the new farm laws.

The Hindu had published a report on December 21 in which Ghanwat appealed to the Modi government not to withdraw the laws.

Ashok Gulati had written a piece in The Indian Express on September 28, 2020 calling the new laws “a step in the right direction”.

Similarly, P K Joshi had written an article in the Financial Express on December 15, arguing that any “dilution in the farm laws will constrain Indian agriculture in harnessing the emerging global opportunities”.

Bhupinder Singh Mann of BKU had recently met the Union Agriculture minister and lent his support for the new laws.

The AIKSCC also said that the various programmes announced by farmers’ unions will be held accordingly.

Farmers’ unions had announced that a parallel ‘Kisan Parade’ will be held at Delhi and all over the country on January 26.

“Farmers will observe Republic day. The Government is trying to misguide the Court on this too. The farmers’ struggle on their key demands will continue as per the earlier announcement on 13th 18th and 23rd January,” said the AIKSCC.

Alleging that the government was hiding hard facts from the people and the apex court, the AIKSCC said that new laws will lead to corporate control over agri-processing and marketing.

“Farmers have explained in detail to GOI that three laws will lead to corporate control over agri processing markets. Will lead to high cost of inputs, higher debts on peasants, lower the crop prices, increase farmer losses, decrease govt procurement, end PDS, raise food costs, higher farmer and agri worker suicides, hunger deaths, eviction from land due to debts. Govt has hidden these hard facts from people and courts,” said the AIKSCC.