'Truly' independent persons should have been appointed on panel on farm laws: Pawar

Mumbai: "Truly independent" persons should have been appointed on the committee formed by the Supreme Court to resolve the impasse over new farm laws, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Thursday.

The apex court on Tuesday stayed the implementation of the new farm laws and set up a four-member committee to resolve the impasse between the Centre and the farmer unions agitating at Delhi borders.

Speaking to reporters here, Pawar, a former Union agriculture minister, said the agitating farmers do not have faith in the panel as these members were said to have supported the new farm laws of the Centre in the past.

"Hence, the farmers don't think anything will come out of discussions with the committee. And I agree with them. It would have been better if independent –in a true sense independent –persons had been appointed," he said.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour the sentiments of protesting farmers and scrap new controversial farm laws, and said he will "grow bigger" in stature by doing so.

An editorial in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' also accused the Centre of trying to end the farmers' protest by using the Supreme Court as the front.

"Prime Minister Modi should welcome the protest and the courage of farmers. (He) should scrap the laws honouring the sentiments of farmers. Modi will grow bigger than what he is today. Grow bigger Modi!" the Marathi

publication said.