After farmers’ unions raised doubts over the composition of the committee by the Supreme Court, insisting that its members have been in favour of the three laws in the past, Bharatiya Kisan Union president and former MP Bhupinder Singh Mann recused himself from the SC-appointed committee saying he doesn’ wish to “compromise farmers’ interests”.
According to sources, the SC-appointed committee members were scheduled to meet on Zoom on Thursday evening. The matter will now go back to the court for further orders.
“I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab,” Mann said in an unsigned statement tweeted by the BKU.
While staying the implementation of the three contentious farm laws until further orders, the Supreme Court appointed a four-member committee to resolve the deadlock.
The committee comprised Anil Ghanwat, president of Shetkari Sangathan, Pramod Kumar Joshi, director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute, and agriculture economist Ashok Gulati, apart from Mann.
Mann was one of the few farm union leaders to have come out in support of the Centre’s new farm laws.
He was part of a group of farmers that met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar in December.
Earlier the BKU tweeted, “Bhupinder Singh Mann, ex-MP and national president of BKU and chairman of the All India Kisan Coordination Committee has recused himself from the four-member committee constituted by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.”
It was followed by a statement attributed to Mann that read: “I am thankful to the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India for nominating me in the four-member committee to start dialogue with kisan unions on the three laws brought in by the Central Government. As a farmer myself and a union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions among the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country.”
There was a feeling among the leaders of BKU (Mann) that when the agitators had refused to appear before the committee, what was the point left in being part of the panel.
“He had to give the resignation when they (agitators) had stated they didn’t consider the panel anything. In such a scenario what type of report the committee would have submitted to the Supreme Court,” said a leader of BKU (Mann).
SAD spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa has attributed Mann’s recusal from the SC committee to his reluctance to face the opposition from farmers.
Friday, 15 January 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
