Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) National President Bhupinder Singh Mann, who was one of the four members in the Supreme Court-appointed panel to look into the Centre's contentious three farm laws, has on Thursday recused himself from the role.
The BKU informed about this new development on Twitter. "S. Bhupinder Singh Mann Ex MP and National President of BKU and Chairman of All India Kisan Coordination Committee has recused himself from the 4 member committee constituted by Hon'ble Supreme Court," the farmers' union tweeted along with a press statement issued by Mann.
In the statement, Mann said that he is stepping down from the position as did not wish to "compromise the interest of Punjab and the farmers of the country". The BKU leader said he will always stand "with my farmers and Punjab".
"I am thankful to the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India for nominating me in the four-member committee to start dialogue with kisan unions on the three laws brought in by the central government. As a farmer myself and a union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country. I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab," the statement read.
The Supreme court had on Tuesday formed a four-member panel comprising agricultural economist Ashok Gulati, BKU national president Bhupinder Singh Mann, Pramod Kumar Joshi- Director, South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute and Shetkari Sanghatana president Anil Ghanwat to solicit the views of farmers and the Union government.
The committee has been directed to hold a dialogue with farmers and submit its recommendations pertaining to the farm laws within two months from the date of its first sitting. However, the leaders of farmers' unions had rejected the committee, saying their members were already in favour of farm laws.
