Farm laws to be put on hold for 1.5 yrs, Centre tells farmers : Report

Till now farmers, who have refused to settle for anything less than the repeal of all the three laws passed by parliament last year, said they would consider the proposal, while adding that the Centre is unsettled by the massive tractor rally  they have planned for Republic Day.

"The government placed a new proposal before us in the tenth round meeting - it is ready to set up a special committee which will consider all our demands along with the three new laws," said Balkishan Singh Brar of the All India Kisan Sabha, the NDTV report stated.

"The government also proposed that until the committee completes the review, all three new laws will be put on hold for one-and-a-half-year," he added.

On January 12, the Supreme Court suspended the three contentious farm laws for at least that triggered the farmers' protests and said a committee would be formed for a negotiated settlement of the impasse.

"We are trying to solve the problem in the best way. One of the powers we have is to suspend the legislation," Chief Justice SA Bobde had said after the decision.

"We are staying with three farm laws until further orders," he added.

The court decided to put a hold on the laws  after asking the Centre on January 11 to suspend the farm laws.

"The government is scared and is looking for ways to save its skin," Brar said, according to the report.

The farmers have planned a rally with at least 1,000 tractors in the national capital on January 26, the Republic Day.

Despite Centre's appeal the Supreme Court has refused to take a stand on it and said the Delhi Police can take a call on the matter.

"The question of entry into Delhi is a law and order situation that is to be determined by the police. We have told the AG and SG before that whether who should be allowed and who should not be allowed and the number of people who can enter are all matters of law and order to be dealt with by the police. We are not the first authority. You are at liberty to invoke all powers under the law," the CJI stated.

In its plea, the Delhi police contended that farmers' tractor rally could cause law and order problems and create an embarrassing situation for the country in the eyes of the entire world.

"Right to protest is always subject to the countervailing public order and the public interest. The right to protest can never include maligning the nation globally,' the plea read.