SC-Appointed Panel Holds Discussions With 10 Farmer Bodies As Protesters Reject Govt's Offer To Suspend Farm Reforms

The Supreme Court-appointed committee on the three farm laws held an interaction with various farmer organisations from eight states on Thursday (21 January) through a video conference.

Ten different farmer bodies from eight states -- Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh -- participated in the discussion with the committee members, said an official statement.

The members of the committee formed by the apex court, Anil Ghanwat, Ashok Gulati and Pramod Joshi, requested the farmer leaders to frankly put forward their views on the three farm laws.

While responding to a query posed by IANS, Joshi said that the committee would hold discussions with more than 100 farmer organisations from across the country to know their views on the matter.

It should be noted that earlier on Thursday, the protesting farmer unions have rejected the Narendra Modi led central government's offer to suspend the three farm laws for next one and a half year. The farmers have demanded that they want a complete withdrawal of the three laws and also enactment of a legislation for remunerative MSP for all farmers.

This decision was announced by the farmers following the conclusion of the full general body meeting of Samyukt Kisan Morcha.

(With inputs from IANS)