Supreme Court Plans Committee to Address Farmer Grievances 'For All Times'

The Supreme Court of India is taking steps to address the ongoing farmer protests that have blocked highways for months. On Thursday, the court announced it would soon create a committee to solve farmer problems "for all times."

The court, led by Justice Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta, and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, will meet again on September 2. They asked the governments of Punjab and Haryana to give the committee a list of farmer issues to work on.

There's good news from Punjab. The state government told the court that after talking with protesting farmers, the farmers agreed to partly open the highway they had been blocking. This comes after the court's August 12 order asking Punjab to convince farmers to move their tractors and trolleys off the road.

The court wants Punjab and Haryana to keep talking to the farmers. They hope to persuade them to fully clear the highway of their vehicles. 

This all started back in February. Farmer groups announced they would march to Delhi to demand a law guaranteeing minimum support prices (MSP) for their crops. In response, Haryana put up barriers on the Ambala-New Delhi highway. The Haryana government's actions led to a case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The High Court told Haryana to remove the barriers within a week. Haryana then went to the Supreme Court to challenge this order. 

On August 12, the Supreme Court stepped in. They told Punjab to talk to the protesting farmers at the Shambhu border. The court said highways shouldn't be used as "parking space" for protests. The farmer protests have been a big issue in India for a long time. Farmers want the government to guarantee minimum prices for their crops. They say this will protect them from market changes and ensure they can make a living.

The Supreme Court's plan to form a committee shows they want to find a lasting solution. By bringing together different sides to talk, they hope to address the farmers' concerns while also keeping highways open for everyone to use. As the situation develops, all eyes will be on the new committee. People hope it can find a way to meet the needs of farmers while also considering the broader needs of the country.