Bhupinder Singh Mann leaves the four-member panel formed by SC on farm laws — says he will stand with the farmers

• Bhupinder Singh Mann, one of the four members of the panel formed by India’s Supreme Court to review the farm laws, has recused himself from the job.
• Mann said that he is “ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country”.
• A former MP, Mann is also the president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Bhupinder Singh Mann has stepped down from the four-member panel constituted by India’s Supreme Court to review the farm laws and resolve the deadlock. He stated that he will always stand with the farmers and Punjab.

“While I am thankful to the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India for nominating me in the 4 member committee to start dialogue with Kisan Unions on the three laws brought in by the Central Government,” said Mann in a statement.


Bhartiya Kisan Union is also one of the organisations taking part in the ongoing farmers protest. Mann’s decision comes amid uproar over the apex court’s panel members who were reportedly pro-farm laws.

Along with Mann, Ashok Gulati, PK Joshi and Anil Ghanwat were members of the panel.

This also comes a day before the next round of talks between the government and protesting farmer unions. Even after eight rounds of talks, including the last one that took place on January 8, failed to resolve the deadlock with the government standing firm on its ‘no repeal’ stance on the farm laws.

The Supreme Court on January 13 had hit pause on India’s new farm laws. "We are going to suspend the implementation of the three farm laws until further orders", said Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bodbe.

SEE ALSO:
All four members on the panel appointed by the Supreme Court have openly supported the farm laws in recent days
Google says it has removed several loan apps in India after RBI takes steps to curb fraud in digital lending