The Supreme Court on Wednesday suggested that a solution be found urgently through negotiation and proposed the formation of a committee, with representatives from both the government and farmer unions, to end the deadlock over the three farm laws.

The top court said that the farmers’ protest will soon become a ‘national issue’ and has issued notices to the Central government as well as the Delhi, Punjab and Haryana governments. The court has asked that they will have to respond by tomorrow before the winter vacation begins.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde with Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian was hearing a petition for removal of the protesters from the Delhi border where the farmers have been agitating against the new farm laws.

The Centre told the court, “The government was and is ready for negotiations. The difficulty is the farmers’ ‘yes or no’ approach. Different ministers talked to them, but they turned their chairs back and did not talk.”

The government further added, “It appears now some other interests have taken over the farmers protests.”

Five rounds of meetings have taken place between the government led by Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar and the protesting farmers. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also met the farmers but the meeting did not result in any breakthrough.

The government reassured that it would not do ‘anything against the farmers’, to which Chief Justice SA Bobde said, “What’s the point of saying so when it is adversely affecting them?”

Chief Justice Bobde added, “Your negotiation will again fail as they won’t agree. Give us names of organisations that can be before us. This will soon become a national issue and will have to solved through negotiations.”

The court asked the petitioners to make farmers association a party to their petition as they will have to be heard.

Justice Bobde questioned Solicitor General and asked him to provide the names of the associations to the petitioners. He said, “Why farmers associations were not made party to the case and without hearing them, how orders can be passed?”

Several petitions have been filed before the apex court for both and against the farmers’ protests. One petition wants the protesting farmers to be moved to a designated place keeping in mind the coronavirus pandemic. Another petition sought the court’s direction to the Centre to consider the farmers’ demands.

The SC said, “Most of these petitions appear to be ill-conceived. We don’t see any legal issue except freedom of movement that is admittedly caused by people who are not party before us.”

Farmers are agitating against the farm laws passed by the government at the borders of Delhi and have braved tear gas and water cannons. The farmers have set forth their demands with the government regarding the minimum support price (MSP) system which they feel would leave them to be exploited by corporates.