New Delhi: The Supreme Court today asked the Central government whether it would pause the implementation of three controversial farm laws at the core of massive farmer protests near Delhi, saying the situation had gone worse.

‘Tell us whether you will put the laws on hold or else we will do it. What’s the prestige issue here?’

The bench comprising of CJI Bobde Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian further said, ‘Some people have committed suicide, old people and women are a part of the agitation. What is happening?’ The bench added that not a single plea has been filed that said that the ‘farm laws are good.’

Demanding to know the conditions the farmers have been protesting in against the farm laws for over a month and amid a pandemic, CJI Bobde said, ‘We don’t know what negotiations are going on? We want to set up the expert committee. We want the government to hold the laws in abeyance…if the Centre does not want to stay the implementation of farm laws, we will put a stay on it.’

‘Hold the laws in abeyance, why is it a prestige issue?’ asked the Supreme Court.

‘You [the Centre] withhold the implementation of these [farm] laws because the only thing we see from the replies and from the media is that they [the farmers] have a problem with these laws. We don’t know whether you [central government] are part of the solution or part of the problem,’ the Supreme Court said.

The apex court said the intention was to bring about an amicable resolution to the issue. ‘That’s why we asked you if you can put your laws on hold. You’re seeking time for more negotiations. If you [Centre] show some sense of responsibility by saying we will not implement these laws for now, we will ask them [farmers] to negotiate seriously and form a committee.’