Farmers' Protest: Centre invites farmers to take part in SC-appointed panel proceedings

Farmers protesting in the national capital burnt copies of the three farm laws to mark Lohri on Wednesday. Lohri, a major Punjab festival that marks the beginning of spring, is typically celebrated with edible items provided to the bonfire such as jaggery, popcorn, rewri and sesame. By the way, Wednesday also marks the 50th day of the Delhi farmers' strike. 

In the meantime, Kailash Choudhary, Minister of State for Agriculture, asked farmers' unions to participate in the panel proceedings formed by the Supreme Court, without confirming whether or not the ninth round of talks between the Centre and the farmers would take place on 15 January. 

In other headlines, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala is scheduled to meet today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the state's protests over the rules. The meeting comes a day after the talks between Dushyant and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were conducted, after which they reiterated that there was no challenge to the government of the coalition state. 

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court continued to enforce the three controversial farm laws and set up a four-member committee to make policy recommendations after speaking to all stakeholders. A bench formed by India's Chief Justice, S A Bobde, gave the panel two months to submit its report to help the court reach a 'equitable, fair and justified solution.' 

In reaction to the decision, farmers' unions declared that they would not engage in the consultation process and repeated their proposal that the laws be removed. Leaders supported the temporary action taken by the SC, but said it was 'not a solution.' 'Calling the committee members 'pro-government,' they said the panel was a means of diverting government focus, 'so that pressure is removed from them,' and farmers continue to fight in court.