Farmers' protest: SC expresses concern over poor health of protesting farmer, directs medical aid

Supreme Court of India. File Pic

Amid ongoing Farmers' protest, the Supreme Court on Friday expressed concern over the deteriorating health of Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast-unto-death protest at the Khanauri border for over 17 days, reported news agency PTI.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the Centre and Punjab government representatives to immediately meet Dallewal and provide him medical help and persuade him to break his fast-unto-death protest saying his life was precious.

The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Punjab and advocate general Gurminder Singh to ensure that no force was used against Dallewal to break his fast-unto-death protest, unless it was imperative to save his life, reported PTI.

"You both look into this issue immediately and ensure that it is resolved," the bench told Mehta and Singh, while advising that Dallewal could be shifted to PGI Chandigarh or nearby Patiala city for urgent medical intervention, if need arises, reported PTI.

It asked the agitating farmers to adopt the Gandhian way of protests and temporarily suspend it or shift from the highways and instructed the high-powered panel constituted by it to meet the farmers.

Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the Centre into accepting the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.

Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by the security forces.

A "jatha" (group) of 101 farmers made two attempts to enter Delhi on foot on December 6 and December 8. They were not allowed to proceed by security personnel in Haryana. The protesting farmers would make another attempt to march on December 14.

In a video message, Dallewal said this was a fight for MSP.

"This is a fight for saving the future of Punjab and its water. It is important to win this fight," he said and appealed to people to join the agitation in large numbers.

"The government will agree for talks when it gets to know that their agitation cannot be lifted and farmer leaders cannot be removed from the protest site," Dallewal said.

Besides a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in the electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands.

(With inputs from PTI)