New Delhi:
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday expressed concern over the deteriorating health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold talks with the farmers.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre of showing ‘cruelty’ towards farmers, the Lok Sabha MP appealed to Prime Minister Modi to put aside his “ego” and initiate talks with the farmers.
किसान नेता जगजीत सिंह डल्लेवाल जी 45 दिनों से आमरण अनशन पर हैं। उनकी हालत लगातार बिगड़ रही है। लेकिन भाजपा सरकार उनकी सुध लेने को तैयार नहीं है। इसी हठधर्मिता ने किसान आंदोलन में 750 किसानों की जान ले ली थी। किसानों के प्रति इतनी निष्ठुरता क्यों?
प्रधानमंत्री @narendramodi जी… pic.twitter.com/bYY1LtJzxT
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) January 9, 2025
“Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a hunger strike for 45 days. His condition is continuously deteriorating. But the BJP government is not ready to take care of him. This stubbornness took the lives of 750 farmers in the farmers’ movement. Why so much cruelty towards farmers?” posted Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on X.
The Congress leader called for an urgent dialogue between the government and the farmers to resolve the ongoing issue and end the hunger strike.
“I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put aside his ego and immediately initiate talks with the farmers and end Dallewal ji’s hunger strike,” her post read.
Dallewal, a key figure in the farmers’ movement, had begun his hunger strike as part of a protest against the “non-fulfilment of promises” made by the Central Government to the farmers during the 2021 agitation.
Dallewal’s worsening health condition has raised concerns among his supporters and the farmer community.
Earlier on Wednesday, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh also expressed concern over the deteriorating health condition of Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
He said that the Punjab government is worried about his health and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak to farmer leader Dallewal.
“Punjab government is worried about his health condition. I appeal to the PM and the Union Agriculture Minister should talk to him. Even if the Prime Minister converses with him telephonically, then, also, the entire problem will be solved. The border of Punjab will also reopen. Common people have been facing difficulties. They (Farmers) are our people. When we need grain, we approach them. They are filling our stomachs and their children are getting martyred on borders. PM Modi himself says that communication is the only solution,” said Balbir Singh.
On Monday, a Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee met farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border.
Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death since November 26. Speaking about the meeting, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Patiala, Mandeep Singh Sidhu, said that the farmer leader had refused to take medical assistance.
The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of a plea regarding providing medical aid and hospitalisation of Dallewal, to Friday.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court clarified that its orders to provide medical aid and hospitalisation to farmers’ leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal were not to force him to end his fast but to ensure his well-being.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Sudhanshu Dhulia said that Dallewal could continue his hunger strike under medical aid.
It said there appears to be a deliberate attempt in the media by Punjab government officers to give an impression that the court is pressuring Dallewal to break the fast.
Dallewal, the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanouri border to press the Centre to accept the farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
The top court has been asking the Punjab government to ensure Dallewal gets proper medical aid during the fast until death.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
