Agriculture reforms priority, my health secondary, Dallewal tells SC committee

“Farm reforms are my priority, my life and health secondary,” said farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast-unto-death for the past 42 days, while interacting with the high-powered committee appointed by the Supreme Court to initiate talks with farmers.

The committee, led by a retired high court judge, Justice Nawab Singh, and comprising former DGP BS Sandhu, economist RS Ghuman, agriculture expert Devinder Sharma and Punjab Farmers Commission chairperson Sukhpal Singh, arrived at Dhabi Gujaran village near the Khanauri border at 3.15 pm today and interacted with the farmer leader for nearly 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court today expressed the hope that the meeting between Dallewal and the committee would yield some positive result. “Let us hope something positive emerges out of it,” a Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice NK Singh said after senior counsel Kapil Sibal informed it on behalf of the Punjab Government that the protesting farmers, led by Dallewal, had agreed to meet the committee. Asking the committee and others to inform it of the outcome of the meeting, the Bench adjourned the hearing on a contempt plea against the Punjab Chief Secretary and the DGP over medical aid to Dallewal to Friday.

At the Khanauri border, Justice Nawab Singh interacted with farmers and also visited the “tent city”.

While Justice Nawab Singh was sitting in his vehicle, a farmer, Niranjan Singh, approached him, saying, “Saab jaldi karo, verna assi apna leader kho devange” (speed up the process, sir, else we will lose our leader).

Inside the glass cubicle, Dallewal told the committee members, “Shall I make a request? It has been 42 days. Nothing will happen to me as God is with me. I have one thing to say — if the government could show some mercy on farmers. The government should fulfil the promises made to the farmers at regular intervals. I do not need to observe a fast if the government fulfils our demands. I urge you to take up the matter with the government so that our issues can be resolved.”

The committee members urged Dallewal to end his fast. Justice Nawab Singh urged the 70-year-old leader to accept medical aid.

Asked whether Dallewal agreed to avail of medical aid, Justice Nawab Singh said, “We repeatedly requested him to accept medical help. We want him to be in good health.”

He said he would submit his report before the Supreme Court in a phased manner.

Asked how the deadlock between the farmers and the government would end, agriculture economist Davinder Sharma said, “The committee has been constituted for the purpose. We urged Dallewal to end his fast towards this end. The committee will submit its recommendations before the apex court,” said Sharma. Former DIG Narinder Bhargav, who was engaging in back-channel talks with the farmer leaders, led the committee members to the meeting venue.