Punjab farm leader Dallewal warns Centre against removing him from protest site

Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) convener Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been observing an indefinite fast at the Khanauri protest site since November 26, on Saturday warned the Centre and the state government not to commit the mistake of removing him from the morcha site or admit him to a hospital.

Addressing farmers lying on a bed in front of the stage at Khanauri protest site, Dallewal said the farmers would not tolerate any such action. If any farmer suffered injuries during any such action, the entire responsibility would be that of the Modi government, he added.

Dallewal said the Supreme Court had ordered medical aid for him, but the government should not think that it had been allowed to remove him from the morcha site.

He thanked the apex court for worrying about his life. He urged the Supreme Court to put pressure on the Centre to ensure that farmers don’t die by suicide. The only way to achieve that was to enact an MSP guarantee law, besides fixing MSP by implementing a price fixation formula as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission’s report. The entire debt of farmers should also be waived in one go, he added.

State general secretary of the BKU (Sidhupur) Kaka Singh Kotra appealed to the people to send a tractor-trailer loaded with rations to the Khanauri protest site from every village in the state. At least 15 persons should also be sent to the morcha site from every village. By doing so, they would be able to save their land, otherwise Ambanis and Adanis would capture their land, he added.

Farm leader from Haryana Abhimanyu Kohar said the health condition of Dallewal had been worsening by the day.

Patiala DC, SSP meet leader, urge him to end fast

Following an order of the Supreme Court, Patiala Deputy Commissioner Dr Preeti Yadav and Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Nanak Singh met farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal whose indefinite fast at the Khanauri border entered the 19th day on Saturday

They enquired about Dallewal’s well-being and urged him to get medical aid and break his fast; Dallewal, however, remained adamant on not taking any treatment or ending his fast

Talking to The Tribune, Lakhwinder Singh Aulakh, state president of Bharatiya Kisan Ekta (BKE), Haryana, said both officers told Dallewal that they were worried about his health condition and urged him to take medical treatment at the earliest

Dallewal, however, said his fast would continue as he valued farmers’ interests more than his own life; many farmers had ended their life by suicide across the country due to below-MSP sale of their crops, he added

Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Union state president Sukhjit Singh Hardo Jhande said Dallewal also told the DC and the SSP that he would not break his fast till the demands of farmers were fulfilled by the Union Government