India / Centre welcomes SC order on farmers' protest: Narendra Singh Tomar

New Delhi: In his first reaction after Supreme Court stayed the implementation of farm laws and appointed a committee to resolve the issue, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday said Centre welcomes apex court's ruling and will present its views before the court-mandated committee when summoned by it.

Speaking before the ninth round of talks scheduled with the representatives of protesting farmer unions, the Minister said that there would be a discussion on three farm laws in today's meeting, and the government will try to resolve the issue by dialogue.

"Between the last and this meeting, the Supreme Court gave a ruling. Government of India welcomes the Supreme Court's ruling. When the Supreme Court-mandated committee calls the government, we will present our case," stated the Minister.

Tomar also said that if government and farmers decide to continue the dialogue, and could agree upon a date, then the next round of meeting will be scheduled.

"In the meeting, if both parties agree, we will continue the discussions. Because the discussions are on between farmers and government and this date was decided earlier, we are still trying to find a solution via dialogue," Tomar added.

The Minister further added that citizens have a responsibility to abide by the Supreme Court's rulings.

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday stayed the implementation of three farms laws until further orders and formed a four-member committee.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.