Ritik Gupta
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today asked the central government whether it would pause implementing three contentious farm laws at the core of massive farmer protests near Delhi, saying the crisis had gone nastier. “Tell us whether you will put the laws on hold or else we will do it. What’s the ego here?”
The court’s intense observations came during a hearing on petitions disputing the farm laws and uproar at the Delhi borders.
“Each one of us we will responsible if anything goes wrong. We don’t want any injuries or blood on our hands,” Chief Justice of India SA Bobde asserted in strong statements.
The top court proposed that after the execution of the laws staye, the protest could resume. “But decide whether you want to carry on the protest on the same site or move to other,” it said.
In the earlier hearing, the Supreme Court had remarked that there was no improvement on the ground. It was notified that “healthy discussions” were going on between the government and the unions overall extraordinary issues.
“We have asked in the last hearing but no answer. The situation has gone worse. People have committed suicide. Why are the old and the women part of the agitation in this weather?” Chief Justice questioned the government.
The court urged the center to set up a committee and added: “If the government is not doing it on its own, hold the implementation, we will say.”
Arguing for the government, Attorney General KK Venugopal said: “You can form a committee but don’t stay the laws.”
He cited past judgments asserting courts can’t carry a law without getting on into its unconstitutionality. Mr. Venugopal also pursued highlighting that “only farmers from two or three states are protesting,” that there was no participation from southern or western India.
The government has, in eight rounds of talks with farmer unions, ruled out abolishing the laws but has reasserted that it is open to revisions.
The farmers assert they will accept nothing low of the government abolishing the laws, which they think will assassinate their safeguarded revenue and benefit corporates. They have declined to purchase the central government’s assertion that the laws will bring long-delayed reforms in the agriculture realm by doing away with intermediaries and permitting farmers to negotiate anywhere in the country.
