The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a stay of the implementation of the contentious three new farm laws hoping this will end the prolonged protests by the farmers and also constituted a four-member panel of agri experts to resolve the impasse between their leaders and the Centre.
The court also asked the Centre to file an affidavit on its claim that some banned organisations including ‘Khalistanis’ have infiltrated the ongoing farmers protest.
In contention with the ‘Khalistani’ claim, Congress on Tuesday (January 12) rebuked the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre and asked why central agencies have not taken any steps to remove the alleged ‘khalistani’ elements from the farmers’ protests.
The Congress suggested that since the Centre has clearly failed to address the alleged issue, Prime Minister Modi should start with himself and his party before calling anyone else ‘anti-nationals’.
“PM Modi your lawyer has stated that khalistanis have infiltrated the farmer protests, if true, why have you done nothing to remove such elements from this Satyagraha? If not then the next time you & your party deign to call someone anti-national, please start with yourselves,” tweeted Congress from its official handle on the micro-blogging website, quoting an alert by news agency PTI on the allegations levied at the court.
PM Modi your lawyer has stated that khalistanis have infiltrated the farmer protests, if true, why have you done nothing to remove such elements from this Satyagraha?
If not then the next time you & your party deign to call someone anti-national, please start with yourselves. https://t.co/KUp99IwDAd
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 12, 2021
Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, had claimed that ‘Khalistanis’ have infiltrated the protest and he will file an affidavit along with the necessary inputs of the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
in their response to what the apex court called an “extraordinary” order of stay, the farmer unions made it clear they will not call of the protests until the three laws enacted in September are repealed. Thousands of farmers, mostly from Haryana and Punjab, are protesting at Delhi borders since November 28 last, demanding a repeal of the three laws and a legal guarantee to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system for their crops.
The leaders of the unions also claimed the members of the court-appointed committee tasked to listen to their grievances are “pro-government”, and asserted they will not appear before it.
Source: Free Press Journal
