Plea In Supreme Court Seeks For Directions To Consider Demands Of Protesting Farmers and To Ensure They Are Provided Basic Amenities

Seeking for directions to the Centre and State to ensure that arrangements for adequate facilities and basic amenities are made for the protesting farmers, the plea further prays for a report to be submitted by the National Human Rights Commission after conducting an inquiry on the issue of human rights violation of farmers by the police.

"Last 30 years, Agricultural Activities in India is getting down, day by day due to, change of climate, insufficient raining, COVID-19 and economic crises. The Small and Poor Farmers in India alone have compelled to buy everything for their needs in retail, sell everything of their products in wholesale and put themselves and their family sufferings all the days in the year", notes the plea.

Filed by Petitioner-in-Person GS Mani, the plea continues with how, in such dire circumstances, the government machinery has totally failed in making the farmers aware of the government policy on open market operations and also not sought for the response of the farmers before enacting the impugned farm laws.

Listing the reasons as to why the farmers are peacefully protesting continuously for the total repeal of the laws, such as no scope of judicial review, alleged creation of open market monopoly without government control and no provision for fixation of Minimum Support Price, the plea notes that "farmers protest in Delhi border seems to be indefinite which may seriously affect the health of old aged farmers if they further continue with the protest".

The plea goes on to underline the role of the State and its duty to "protect and fulfill the demands and reasonable rights of farmers through a possible conciliatory talk with agitating farmers" and "to provide fundamental rights of basic amenities viz. proper shelter, accommodation, clear drinking water, Food, First Aid, Medical and Sanitation etc. to the farmers who are in continuous agitation."

In light of the above, the plea seeks for directions to the Centre and the State to uphold its duty and consider the demands of the farmers, as well as directions to the NHRC to look into the issue of violation of human rights of the farmers by the police.