Go to Modi, not Akal Takht, if you want me to end fast: Dallewal tells Punjab BJP leaders

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered the 46th day on Friday, has shared a video message targeting the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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In a two-minute-58-second-long video, the farmer leader said he had been told that the Punjab unit of the BJP had approached the Akal Takht, urging the Jathedar to direct him to end his fast.

“However, I feel that the BJP leaders are going in the wrong direction. Instead of approaching the Akal Takht, they should be approaching the office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seek his intervention to resolve the matter," he said.

“You should be going to the office of Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who has already expressed his concerns on our issue. You must also visit the office of the Agriculture Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) and the office of Home Minister Amit Shah."

Dallewal said his motive behind the fast was to seek the acceptance of the demands of farmers, and that he would end it once the Centre agreed to the demands.

"I will again urge the Punjab unit of BJP to seek the intervention of the Prime Minister," he said.

Amidst reports of deteriorating health and dwindling blood pressure of SKM (Non-political) chief Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a high-level team of doctors, led by Principal Secretary (Health) Kumar Rahul, visited Khanauri to examine the fasting farmer leader on Thursday.

Deputy Commissioner Preeti Yadav and SSP Nanak Singh also accompanied the team.

After meeting farmer leaders Baldev Singh Sirsa, Abhimanyu Kohar and Kaka Singh Kotra, the team went to the glass cubicle where the farmer leader had been kept.

The team reportedly examined Dallewal, took his blood samples and performed an ultrasound of his abdomen. The medical reports would be released on Friday.

A medical team from Rajindra Medical College and Mata Kaushalya Hospital, Patiala, is already deployed at Khanauri to continuously monitor Dallewal’s health. Two advanced life support (ALS) ambulances are also available there round the clock. A temporary hospital equipped with all emergency equipment and medicines has been set up near the protest site.

The farmer leader has been sitting in protest since November 26. On the first day of protest he was picked up by police and taken to DMC Hospital in Ludhiana. But later after the pressure mounted by farmer unions, he was released and since then he is fasting at Khanauri border. The tractor-trailers have been welded with each other around the site where Dallewal is fasting and over 700 volunteers are observing night vigil near the protest site.