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

''Truly independent'' personsshould have been appointed on the committee formed by theSupreme Court to resolve the impasse over new farm laws, NCPchief Sharad Pawar said on Thursday.

The apex court on Tuesday stayed the implementation ofthe new farm laws and set up a four-member committee toresolve the impasse between the Centre and the farmer unionsagitating at Delhi borders.

Speaking to reporters here, Pawar, a former Unionagriculture minister, said the agitating farmers do not havefaith in the panel as these members were said to havesupported the new farm laws of the Centre in the past.

''Hence, the farmers don't think anything will come outof discussions with the committee. And I agree with them. Itwould have been better if independent -- in a true senseindependent -- persons had been appointed,'' he said.

On Tuesday, Pawar had welcomed the Supreme Court'sdecision to stay the implementation of the laws and set up acommittee.

The committee comprised Bhupinder Singh Mann, NationalPresident of Bhartiya Kisan Union, All India KisanCoordination Committee; Parmod Kumar Joshi, Director for SouthAsia, International Food Policy Research Institute; AshokGulati, agricultural economist and former chairman of theCommission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, and AnilGhanwat, President of Shetkari Sanghatana.

But on Thursday, Mann said he was recusing himselffrom the panel ''in view of the prevailing sentiments andapprehensions among the farmer unions''.