Will farmers be allowed to hold tractor march on January 26? SC to hear plea
Farmers have made it clear that the march will be held at borders and will remain peaceful.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde on Monday will hear the Centre's plea seeking an injunction against the tractor rally proposed by the protesting farmers on the Republic Day.
Farmers who have been protesting against three farm laws since November 26 had earlier announced their plan of a major tractor rally at Republic Day celebrations. Farmer leaders earlier said that on January 26, there will be Republic Day parade on one side and the tractor march on the other. But later, they said they won't march to the Red Fort and will only take out tractor march at Haryana-Delhi borders where they have been camping since November last week.
The Centre moved the apex court through Delhi Police against the proposed tractor march, which the Supreme Court agreed to hear on January 18.
This is a separate plea than the one which the Supreme Court was hearing regarding farmers' protests. On January 12, the top court passed an interim order and stayed the implementation of the new farm laws. It has also set up a four-member panel to suggest solutions to the impasse. The committee comprised Bhupinder Singh Mann, national president of Bhartiya Kisan Union; Dr Parmod Kumar Joshi, Director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute; Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist and former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices; and Anil Ghanwat, president of Shetkari Sanghatana. The committee was given eight weeks' time for consultation. However, Bhupinder Singh Mann recused himself from the committee. It is likely that the court may take note of this and suggest another member for the panel.
Parallel to this, consultation between farmers and the Centre is going on with the 10th meeting scheduled on January 19.
Meanwhile, a farmer union moved the Supreme Court on Saturday requesting to remove the remaining three members of the committee.
Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Balbir Singh Rajewal has claimed that rumours are being spread about the proposed tractor march. In an open letter to farmers, he reiterated that the march will be conducted at borders, and will be a peaceful protest, though it has been rumoured that the protesters will head towards the Red Fort or Parliament.