FARMERS’ PROTEST MUST CONTINUE, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT: INDIAN SUPREME COURT

Thu 17 December 2020:

The farmers’ protest must continue and Delhi cannot be blocked, the Supreme Court said today while hearing a series of petitions on the issue. Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, who said yesterday that the matter must be handed over to a committee, said the panel must have “independent members with knowledge of agriculture and hear both sides and give report on what is to be done”.

Meanwhile, the “protests can continue without violence and the police will not do anything,” the Chief Justice said.

When the Centre insisted on a meeting where discussions can held on each clause, the court said, “We observed yesterday that the Centre is not successful in negotiations. We do not think that the farmers will accept your conclusions. Let the committee decide”.

When senior advocate Harish Salve said “Protests cannot be just for protest, but to articulate point of view,” the court said, “That is exactly what we mean”.

“Protest’s purpose must be fulfilled by non-violent means. Protests must be about issues. Aggrieved parties must be allowed to articulate and the party that caused the problem must be allowed to answer,” said Chief Justice Bobde.

Farmers widows join protests

Hundreds of Indian women, including many widows of farmers who were believed to have killed themselves over debt, joined a protest on Wednesday against government reforms that farmers say threaten their livelihoods.

“If these black laws come, more farmers will go deeper into debt,” said 40-year-old Harshdeep Kaur, a widow from Punjab state, at one protest site on the outskirts of the capital, New Delhi.

“More mothers and sisters will become widows like me.”

Suicide by struggling farmers has been a problem in India for years.

Nearly 10,350 farmers and agricultural labourers committed suicide in 2018 – making up almost 8% of all suicides in India, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.