Awaiting concrete proposal from Centre, say farmers

Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar on Thursday said it is up to the Centre how long their protest continues and they will make their stance clear only after getting a concrete proposal over their demands from the Union Government.

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Farmers are protesting since February last year at the Punjab’s Shambhu and Khanauri borders with Haryana, demanding a law guaranteeing minimum support price for their crops and debt waiver.

The protest is being spearheaded by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, umbrella bodies of farmer and labour groups. The farmer groups have been camping at the border points since February 13 last year when their march to the national capital was stopped.

When asked if farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal — whose indefinite fast to press the Centre to accept their demands entered 38th day — would take medical aid, Kohar said no such discussion was held with the Punjab government-appointed panel on Wednesday.

The statement came on a day the Supreme Court fixed January 6 as the date of hearing on the request of Punjab Government’s advocate on providing medical treatment to Dallewal. Kohar said they would study the court directions and talk to Dallewal before making any statement in this regard.

The state government had constituted the panel led by former Additional DGP Jaskaran Singh to convince Dallewal to end his fast after the apex court on December 20 ordered his hospitalisation while expressing concern over his deteriorating health.

Regarding the health condition of Dallewal, Kohar said his condition was “very serious” as he has lost weight. His blood pressure is fluctuating while other health parameters like kidney and liver functioning have also been adversely affected due to prolonged fasting, he added.

Meanwhile, farmer leader Lakhwinder Singh Aulakh said a group of farmers from Tamil Nadu, led by P R Pandian, and another group from Karnataka today reached the Khanauri border point to extend their support to the stir.

Pandian said they have been holding protest in their state in support of the Dallewal’s hunger strike for the past several days.

Dosanjh asked to clarify stand on farm issues

Singer Diljit Dosanjh's meeting with PM Narendra Modi has sparked a controversy, with farm leaders seeking a clarification from the artiste to make his stand clear on farm issues. Farm leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “Dosanjh should make clear whether he took up the issue of farmers’ protest with the PM. Punjab has given him a lot of love. We expected him to take up farmers' cause with the PM.”