SC involved, hope government, farmers would have discussions soon: Union Minister Kailash Choudhary

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], December 16 : With the Supreme Court expressing its intention to form a committee comprising representatives of farmers union, government and other stakeholders to resolve the issues concerning protesting farmers, Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary on Wednesday hoped that date would soon be finalised when government and farmers will sit again for a discussion on three farm laws.
"We welcome the development, farmers too have welcomed it. Hope farmers would delve on it and a day would come where both government and farmers would sit and clear any doubts farmers have on the laws," Choudhary said.
The minister said the three laws are in the interest of farmers and asked if farmer unions can say that they do not want provisions such as freedom to sell produce.
"Can any farmers union come forward and say they didn't want provisions like the freedom to sell and freedom to decide their rates. Such bills have been deliberated over for 20 years and UPA couldn't implement them due to pressure from lobbies of arhatiyas (middlemen)," the minister told ANI.
He indicated that adamancy on 'yes' or 'no' stand will not help find a solution to protest by farmer unions.
"Discuss and resolve is the only way forward," he said.
The minister said that there are farmers who are supporting the laws a kilometre away from the place where protest is being held by blocking the highway.
"I went to a place today which was one kilometre away from the place of agitation and farmers were supporting the bills. Farmers have made this demand for years to have freedom from mediators and to get the price of choice for their produce. It is such a good Act," the minister said.
He said the government is willing to make amendments suggested by farmers in the farm laws.
"For those sitting on the border, I would want to make an appeal to farmers and tell them that the government is ready to make amendments suggested by farmers. The country's farmers are with PM Modi. Those who want the progress of the nation are with these laws. This bill will make farmers atmanirbhar (self-reliant)," he said.
He alleged that Left and other opposition parties have "intruded into" the agitation and "are trying to use farmers for their political ambitions".
"I urge farmers to come to us for any doubts. Those who indulge in politics will never say laws are good. They opposed abrogation of Article 370 and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Soon the government will sit with farmers and will try to resolve the issue," he said.
He alleged that children are being used to propagate false narrative like land will be taken away from farmers under the new laws.
"I want to clarify that agreement is for crops and not for land," he said.
The farmers are protesting against the recently enacted Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that farmers issue "will soon become a national issue" and said that it intends to set up a committee comprising representatives of farmers unions across India, government and other stakeholders to resolve the issues of protesting farmers.
A Bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for Centre that it intends to form a committee "because this will soon become a national issue and with the government, it won't work out it seems."
The Bench also issued notice to Centre and State governments on a batch of pleas seeking a direction to authorities to immediately remove the farmers who are protesting at several border points of Delhi against three new farm laws.
The top court also granted permission to implead farmer organisations and posted the matter for hearing tomorrow.
The farmer unions have held five rounds of talks with the government and attended a meeting called by Home Minister Amit Shah. They have rejected the amendment proposals on the three laws sent by the government.