Hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the new farm laws as well as the ones related to the ongoing agitation at Delhi borders, the Supreme Court on Monday said it was disappointed with the way negotiations between the government and the farmers have progressed.
“What is going on? States are rebelling against your laws”, a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde told the Centre. We are extremely disappointed with the negotiation process.
The apex court asked the Centre to stay the laws till a committee constituted by it discusses the same and submits a report.
“We are not experts on economy; you tell us whether govt is going to put on hold farm laws or we will do this, the court said.
To the protesting farmers, the court said, “Whether you have faith or not, we are the Supreme Court of India, we will do our job”. Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are staying put at various border points of Delhi since late November last year to protest against the laws.
The eighth round of talks between the Centre and the farmer unions on January 7 appeared heading nowhere as the Centre ruled out repealing the contentious laws while the farmer leaders said they are ready to fight till death and their ‘ghar waapsi’ will happen only after ‘law waapsi’
The Monday hearing in the Supreme Court assumes significance as the Centre and the farmer leaders are scheduled to hold their next meeting on January 15.
