Supreme Court panel to meet farmer leaders on Thursday
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court-appointed committee on the new farm laws held its first meeting on Tuesday and said it will meet farmer leaders and other stakeholders on Thursday, a day after talks between the farmers and the Centre.
Panel member Anil Ghanwat said both physical and virtual meeting facilities would be available.
“The biggest challenge is to convince the agitating farmers to come and speak with us. We will try our level best,” he said.
“We will meet all stakeholders, including corporates, to understand their view points. We will reach out to everyone who is concerned about the farm laws,” said a member.
The SC had on January 11 stayed the implementation of the new laws and formed a four-member panel comprising Ashok Gulati, Anil Ghanwat, Bhupinder Singh Mann and Pramod Joshi.
Shortly thereafter, Mann recused himself after the panel drew flak as all four are known supporters of the three laws.
While protesting farmers have already refused to meet the panel, one of its members said, “problems can be only resolved through dialogue. Farmers’ organisations should meet us. We will try our best to resolve the issue.”
In a different case in the SC, Chief Justice of India S A Bobde remarked that a person will not be disqualified from being a member of a committee merely because he/she has previously expressed an opinion on the subject matter under consideration.