Farmers' protest: Branding people has become the norm, says Supreme Court

Farmer leaders during the tenth round of talks with the central government on the new farm laws, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed strong displeasure over the aspersions cast by some farmers' unions on members of the court-appointed committee to resolve the impasse over new farm laws, saying no adjudicating authority has been given to the experts who would hear grievances and give report only.

Meanwhile, the hopes of Delhi Police to get a judicial order to stop the proposed tractor rally by the protesting farmers on the Republic Day in the national capital were dashed as the top court asked the Centre to withdraw the plea, saying it was a "police matter" and was not an issue for the "court to pass orders".

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde issued a notice and sought response of Attorney General K K Venugopal on a separate plea of Kisan Mahapanchayat, farmers' body from Rajasthan, seeking removal of three remaining members of the apex-court appointed panel and the replacement of Bhupinder Singh Mann who had recused himself from the panel.

Taking note of submissions of a lawyer that opinions on the panel members have been formed on the basis of media reports about their pro-farm laws views, the bench said, "You people unnecessarily cast aspersions. People expressing views in some other context would be debarred from the committee? Everyone should have an opinion. Even judges have opinion. This has become a cultural thing. Branding people which you do not want has become a norm. We have not given any power of adjudication to the committee."

Farmers reject change in location of tractor rally
Farmer unions opposing the Centre's new agri laws on Wednesday rejected a suggestion by police officers to hold their proposed January 26 tractor rally on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway instead of Delhi's busy Outer Ring Road, sources said. Union leaders and officers of the Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana police forces had met at the Vigyan Bhawan to discuss the route and arrangements of the proposed rally on Republic Day.