Farmers take farm laws to Supreme Court, Bhartiya Kisan Union challenges 3 laws

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New Delhi, December 11: As deadlock between the Centre and farmers persists with talks inconclusive so far, a group of farmers have challenged the new three farm laws in the Supreme Court.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) on Thursday moved an application before the Supreme Court to intervene in the case challenging the three farm laws. The farmers’ group has challenged the Farmers (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services Act, 2020, Farmer’s Produce Trade & Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

In the petition, the BKU(B) has alleged that the farm laws will “pave way for cartelisation and commercialisation of agriculture,” and will make farmers “vulnerable to corporate greed,” India Today reported.

The application, filed through advocate AP Singh also states that the Acts were “passed hastily without adequate discussion”, and despite multiple representations sent by various Kisan groups, the government is not ready to consider their problems.

“Inherent weaknesses of the agricultural sector cannot be addressed by way of monetization of farmers”, and suggested that the system “needs strengthening of APMC system, MSP and financial support”.

The BKU(b) has further pointed out that farmers have been protesting for several days at Delhi borders, whole multiple rounds of talks with the government have remained inconclusive.

Six petitions against farm laws are already pending in the Supreme Court, including one by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva. RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha and Rakesh Vaishnav of the Chhattisgarh Kisan Congress also moved the SC against the three farm laws. Another plea, for a stay on the implementation of the laws, was also moved by the Bharatiya Kisan Party in November.

The BKU(B) petition asks for permission to intervene in the case and present arguments. The matter is likely to be heard in the last week of December.

The Supreme Court had issued notice to the Centre on October 12 and sought their response.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting at various border points of Delhi for almost two weeks seeking a repeal of the new agri laws, which they claim were aimed at benefitting corporates by weakening the ‘mandi’ system and the minimum support price (MSP) regime for procurement of farm produce.

The government had on Wednesday proposed to give a “written assurance” that the existing MSP regime for procurement will continue.

However, the farmers’ unions rejected the proposal and said they would intensify their agitation until the government accepts their demand for a complete repeal of the three laws.

On Thursday, farmers announced that they will block railway tracks if their demands are not met by the government.

The farmer unions, which held a meeting on Thursday, said they will soon announce a date for blocking tracks across the country.

The announcement by farmers came on the day Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said it was not proper to announce the next stage of agitation when talks were continuing and urged the unions to return to the discussion table.

Tomar also urged farmer union leaders to consider proposals sent to them to break the deadlock over protests against the three new farm laws and said the government is ready for further discussions with them any time.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/farmers-farm-laws-supreme-court-bharatiya-kisan-union-challenge-centre-laws-1748539-2020-12-11

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