Two days after the Supreme Court directed the Centre and Punjab government representatives to immediately meet farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal who has been staging an indefinite hunger strike since last month, a senior ministry of home affairs (MHA) official and the state top on Sunday called on him at the Khanauri border in Sangrur and heard his demands.
This is the first time that any representative from the Centre has met the protesting farmers after talks with Union ministers had failed, in February, this year.
The 70-year-old Dallewal, a cancer patient, has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.
“We came here to enquire about his health. I have with me the Government of India’s representative Mayank Mishra who was specially sent here,” said director general of police Gaurav Yadav after meeting Dallewal.
Yadav said they tried to persuade Dallewal to seek immediate medical help. The farmer leader, however, turned down the request.
Senior farmer leader Sukhjeet Singh said the farmer leader has refused to take medical help.
“Dallewal firmly refused Punjab DGP’s proposal to take medical help,” Sukhjeet said.
Mishra said, “We have heard whatever his (Dallewal) demands are.”
To a question, he said, “There was no proposal of any kind. I came here to hear him and also for implementation of the SC order.”
“We have told Dallewal that his way of leading a peaceful agitation has been appreciated everywhere and the government has also taken cognisance of it,” said the DGP.
“The chief minister has specially sent a message and our efforts are that talks should be held on their demands and this issue is resolved,” the DGP said, adding “We have appealed to farmers that Dallewal’s life is precious. Medical facilities have been provided here and we are making efforts to resolve the issue with their coordination.”
The SC has directed that emergent requisite medical aid be provided to Dallewal, he said, adding that well-equipped ambulances have been stationed here, Yadav said. “We are constantly speaking to farmer leaders and we expect that we will reach a positive outcome,” he said.
To another question, Yadav said the Punjab government has a clear stand on the issue. It considers the agitating farmers’ demands genuine and also supports those, the state police chief said.
Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo march’ and have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
A “jatha” (group) of 101 farmers made three attempts to enter Delhi on foot on December 6, December 8 and again on December 14. Security personnel in Haryana did not allow them to proceed.
Besides a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (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.
Dallewal’s health deteriorates
The latest urine test report of Dallewal reveals the presence of high levels of ketones. Government doctors, who are monitoring Dallewal, said ketones in urine indicate that the body has already started breaking down fat for energy instead of glucose. “Given his age and medical condition, this (ketoacidosis) could turn into a life-threatening complication. Now, vital organs – including the heart – could face the impact of continuous fasting. There is a possibility of a silent heart attack,” said a doctor who is part of the team.
The doctor further revealed that Dallewal’s uric acid level was 16 and it indicates deranged renal functions. The normal range of uric acid in males is between 3-7 mg/dL.
