Release report into public domain, says member of SC panel on farm laws

One of the members of the Supreme Court constituted committee on farm laws, Anil Ghanwat, has written to Chief Justice NV Ramana seeking the release of the panel's report into the public domain. He further requested that the report be shared with the government.

Ghanwat, president Shetkari Sanghatana, said, "The report addressed all apprehensions of the farmers. The committee was confident that the recommendations will pave the way to resolve the on-going farmers' agitation that started on November 26, 2020." He added that he is pained as a member of the committee representing the farmers' community that the issues have not been resolved and that the agitation is continuing.

"I feel that the report has not been given any attention by the Supreme Court. I am humbly pleading the Supreme Court to kindly release the report for implementation of its recommendations for peaceful resolution of the stalemate to the farmers' satisfaction at the earliest," said Ghanwat.

The SC suspended the three controversial farm laws on January 12 early this year. The committee was constituted to look into the laws. Ghanwat was nominated as a member of the committee to represent the farming community. After consulting a large number of farmers and several stakeholders, the committee submitted its report before the two-month deadline on March 19.

The committee initially comprised of four members: Bhupinder Singh Mann, National President, Bhartiya Kisan Union and All India Kisan Coordination Committee; Dr Parmod Kumar Joshi, Agricultural Economist, Director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute; Ashok Gulati, Agricultural Economist and Former Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices; and Anil Ghanwat, President, Shetkari Sanghatana. Mann, however, resigned later. Views and suggestions of the general public were also sought through a public notice.

"We are of the view that the constitution of a committee of experts in the field of agriculture to negotiate between the farmers' bodies and the government of India may create a congenial atmosphere," the top court had then said in its order.

Regarding the stay on the three controversial farm laws, the top court said, "We deem it fit to pass the following interim order, with the hope and expectation that both parties will take this in the right spirit and attempt to arrive at a fair, equitable and just solution to the problems."