"Farm laws a result of 20 years of deliberation:" Centre files affidavit to remove wrong perception created by "vested interest people"
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare has informed the Supreme Court that the Farm Laws which have been assailed before the Supreme Court are a result of two decades of deliberation and that "wrong perception created by non-farmer elements" about the laws needs to be cleared.
The affidavit filed by the Central government has said that the legislations were not hurriedly framed and that the farmers of the nation are happy with the laws.
It states:
(i) the legislations are not hurriedly made but is a result of two decades of deliberations;
(ii) the farmers of the nation are happy as they are given an additional option over and above the existing and, therefore, no vested right is taken away.
(iii) The Central Government has done its best to engage with the farmers to remove any misapprehensions or misgivings in the minds of the farmers and no efforts have been found lacking.
The affidavit alleges that some of the farmers were agitating against the Laws due to the "apprehensions, misgivings and misconceptions created by some vested interest people".
The affidavit was filed by the Centre soon after a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde expressed its inclination on Monday morning to stay the operation of the three Farm Acts and entrust a committee appointed by the top court to find an amicable solution to the dispute.
The Centre, in the affidavit, has given a timeline of events regarding how it tried to engage with the farmer unions but had to face "embarrassing moments."
Central government also faced embarrassing moments. It may not be out of place to mention that the representatives, at times, either came with the placards of “yes” and “no” [for repeal of the laws] and did not discuss anything. On some occasions the farmers said that they shall remain silent and not speak during the discussions as they only wanted repeal of the laws and no discussions," the affidavit says.
The Centre has further submitted that the agitation being limited to only one place out of the whole country "is witness to the fact that majority of farmers are not only happy with the legislations but are finding these legislations to be progressive and in their interest as substantially they are having one more option than the existing option".
"The agitation by/ in the name of some of the farmers may, therefore, not be treated as reflection on the validity of the law or its efficacy and usefulness for the framers community," it has been asserted.
Since CJI SA Bobde had raised questions on the effectiveness of consultative process carried out before passing the farm laws, the Centre has informed the top court that on May 21, 2020, a meeting was held by Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, with the officials of States/UTs, which was attended by 13 states/UTs, to obtain feedback on new legal framework facilitating barrier free inter-state 7 and intra-state trade in agriculture produce top provide choice to farmer.
"Government of India has been, thus, actively and intensively engaging with the States for about two decades to achieve the aforesaid objectives of reforms to provide accessible and barrier free market system for better price realization but states either showed reluctance to adopt the reforms in true spirit or made partial or cosmetic reforms," it has been claimed by the Centre.
Earlier today, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI), SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian expressed disappointment at the manner in which the Centre has handled the issue observing that the central government has failed to solve the problem.
"We propose to form a committee and if the government does not (stay the law), then we will stay the implementation of the Farm Acts. We are extremely disappointed with the way Centre is dealing with this. We are doing this because you have failed to solve the problem..Union of India has to take the responsibility. The laws has resulted in a strike and now you have to solve the strike," the Court had said.
The Court will pass its interim order on the plea tomorrow.