All Members Of Supreme Court Committee Have Already Supported Farm Laws

One of the members of the committee, agriculture economist Ashok Gulati, had called protesting farmers misguided and found them guilty of changing the goalposts.

Ending the impasse over the legislation that led to the farmers’ protests around the Delhi borders, the apex court today took up the matters into its own hand and decided to suspend the implementation of farm laws until further orders.

The top court, responding to a petition on the veracity of the farm laws, said that they are conscious about the challenges faced by the farmers and are forming a committee only to find a solution to the matter.

Bhupinder Mann of AIKCC, agriculture economist Ashok Gulati, Dr Pramod Kumar Joshi (former Director National Academy of Agricultural Research Management) and Anil Ghanwat are the members of the committee mentioned by the CJI-led bench.

However, all the members of the committee formed by the Supreme courts have earlier supported the three farm laws at the centre of this controversy.

Bhupinder Mann

President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and Chairman of the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) Bhupinder Mann is one of the members of the committee formed by the SC to resolve the issues. However, according to the report by The Hindu, the farmers’ groups under the banner of All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) had met Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Krishi Bhawan in the second week of December to submit a memorandum demanding that the three laws be implemented, with some amendments. The stand taken by Mr Mann’s organisation goes against the stance of protesting farmer unions, which have demanded the complete repeal of the laws.

Ashok Gulati

In an article by the Indian Express titled “Why the farm bills are a step in the right direction”, another member of the committee, agriculture economist Ashok Gulati had called protesting farmers misguided and found them guilty of changing the goalposts.

“(The Opposition) is asking MSP to be made legal, implying that all private players buying below this price could be jailed. That will spell disaster in the markets, and private players will shun buying,” Mr Gulati was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

Dr Pramod Joshi

Dr Pramod Joshi, a policy expert, in an opinion piece written for Financial Express along with Arabinda K Padhee, says, “It is regrettable that the farmers’ agitation has not yet been resolved, despite the Centre’s positive response on considering genuine demands. It is also unfortunate that farmers are changing the goalposts before every negotiation.”

On the demand for “legal guarantee” of MSP, Mr Joshi writes: “Prices are always determined by the nature of the commodity, demand, supply and global prices, and therefore, it is impossible to have legally-guaranteed prices.”

Anil Ghanwat

In the Indian Express report dated 21 September 2020, Shetkari Sanghatna President Mr Ghanwat had expressed his support for the three laws saying their decision to support the legislation was necessary as they were aimed at helping farmers.

Mr Ghanwat had also said that the fear expressed by farmers in other states was uncalled for.

“[This] will allow farmers to become real owners of their produce. Barring the mandis, the present system did not present any other avenue to offload produce. Now, it is expected that as the private sector gets into the picture, farmers will have more than one market to choose from,” he had told the Express.

Remarks by the CJI and road ahead

While staying the implementation of the three laws and forming the four-member committee, CJI Bobde also said that “those who genuinely want resolution, will go to the committee” on farm laws.

However, in the view of opinions expressed by the committee members earlier in support of the farm laws, it has to be seen whether the protesting farmer unions will agree to appear before the committee.