The Supreme Court has proposed forming a committee to address the demands of farmers, including a legal guarantee of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. This suggestion comes amid ongoing protests at the Shambhu border near Ambala.
The court asked the Centre as well as the State Governments of Haryana and Punjab to recommend individuals for inclusion in the committee. Additionally, it ordered a status quo for a week on the Shambhu border, where farmers have been camping since February 13.
This development arose from a petition by the Haryana Government challenging a July 10 order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which instructed the State to open the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border within a week. The border has been closed since farmers from Punjab began marching towards Delhi to support their demands, including a legal MSP guarantee.
The Haryana Government had set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi national highway to halt the farmers’ march. Since then, farmers have remained at the Shambhu border.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Haryana Government, expressed concerns over potential law-and-order issues, citing the presence of over 500-600 modified “armoured tanks” at the Shambhu border. He argued that these could pose a threat if allowed into the capital.
The court, however, questioned whether the farmers could be allowed to travel without their tractors and trolleys, asserting on the need for the government to make efforts to reach out to the farmers.
The justices highlighted the apparent “trust deficit” between the government and the protesters and suggested the implementation of confidence-building measures, including negotiations with the farmers and the involvement of neutral parties to address local issues and rebuild trust.
