High-Powered Committee Chairperson Justice (Retd.) Nawab Singh with former DGP BS Sandhu arrives at Dhabi Gujran near the Khanauri border to initiate talks with Farmer Leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal amid ongoing protest over various demands, in Patiala on Monday.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The condition of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 42 days to press for farmers’ demands, “deteriorated” on Monday evening (January 6, 2025) with a drop in his blood pressure, doctors present at the protest site said.

Earlier in the day, a Supreme Court-appointed panel met 70-year-old Mr. Dallewal and urged him to take medical aid. He has so far refused to take medical assistance, offered by the Punjab government following the apex court’s directions.

Mr. Dallewal’s blood pressure dropped to 80/56 and is fluctuating, the doctors said.

“His condition has deteriorated. His blood pressure dropped sharply. After seeing his condition, we got worried. We cannot give him any medical assistance,” said Dr Avtar Singh.

“We lifted his legs following which his blood flow improved a little bit,” said Mr. Singh, who is part of a team of NGO ‘5 Rivers Heart Association’.

“His blood pressure and pulse rate are fluctuating,” he said.

Mr. Dallewal, who is the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year over farmers’ various demands including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

On December 20, the Supreme Court put the onus on Punjab government officials and doctors to decide on his hospitalisation.

Farmer leaders had earlier said Mr. Dallewal had not had anything during his fast. He is taking just water, they had said.

During the past several days, the Punjab government has made several attempts through officials to persuade Dallewal to take medical aid if he does not wish to break his fast, but he has refused.

The high-powered committee headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nawab Singh on Monday met Dallewal and urged him to take medical aid.

Addressing the media after meeting Dallewal, Singh said, “We all repeatedly requested him for medical (help). We want his health to be good.” He said, “I came here today not to say that the agitation should end but to say your (Dallewal) health should be good.” Dallewal told the panel that for him, farm issues came first, his health later, Singh said.

He said they can only make a request to him to take medical aid, when asked about the outcome of the meeting.

The apex court, in September 2024, formed the committee with the aim to amicably resolve the grievances of protesting farmers.

The committee also comprises retired IPS officer B S Sandhu, agriculture expert Devinder Sharma, professor Ranjit Singh Ghuman and Dr Sukhpal Singh, agricultural economists from the Punjab Agricultural University.

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

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, meanwhile, said on Monday that they had requested for a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu and were informed through a letter dated December 31 that she could not meet them due to paucity of time.

“SKM appreciates the President of India, Shrimati Droupadi Murmu, for considering its request for an appointment and giving a written response.  However, SKM expresses its deep regret that the President could not accede to meet the farmers’ delegation due to paucity of time,” the SKM said.

The outfit urged President Murmu to consider their repeated requests for a meeting.

The farmers’ group has said it wants to take up with the President the issue of ongoing fast by Dallewal and pending demands of farmers.

Ambala, Haryana:

Amid a stand-off with the farmers, who are protesting with their demands, Haryana Police in Ambala District has said that any loss to the government and private property during the protest will be compensated by attaching the property and seizure of bank accounts of the protestors.

According to a release from the Ambala police, from February 13, 2024, continuous efforts are being made by the farmer organizations to break the barricade imposed on Shambhu Border by the farmers regarding their march to Delhi and daily attempts are being made to spoil the law and order by pelting stones at the police administration and creating ruckus. During this period, a lot of damage has been caused to government and private property by encroachment.

“The damage caused to government and private property by the agitators is being assessed. The administration had already informed/warned in this regard that if the agitators caused damage to government and private property during this movement, then this loss would be compensated by seizing their property and bank accounts. If public property is damaged by the agitators during the movement, there is an amendment in the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act 1984 (PDPP Act) under the provisions of the Supreme Court in which, the people who caused damage to public property during the movement or called for the movement and the officials of that organization are held responsible for any damage caused,” the official release said.

It further added that according to the Haryana Public Administration’s Property Recovery Act 2021, in case of damage to government property, there is a provision to compensate for the loss of public property by attaching property and confiscating bank accounts of the person causing the loss.

“In this regard, the actions taken by the administration against the agitators leaders are being implemented. If there has been any damage to any community’s property during this movement, the details of the damage can be given to the administration. Proceedings to compensate for the loss of government property during the farmers’ protest, attachment of property and seizure of bank accounts of the protestors have been initiated,” it added.

Also, the police have initiated the National Security Act (NSA) against the farmer leaders.

“Proceedings have been initiated under the NSA National Security Act 1980/NSA against the chief officials of farmer organizations and the agitators,” the Ambala police said on X.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday said the protesting farmers led by the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will observe a ‘Black Friday’ on Friday following the death of a farmer at Khanauri Border crossing in Sangrur district, Punjab, during the ongoing protests.

The SKM will also hold a tractor march on highways towards the national capital, said the BKU leader.

In an exclusive talk with ANI, Mr Tikait said, “We will observe a ‘Black Friday’ tomorrow condoling the death of a farmer at the Khanauri Border crossing in Punjab. We held a tractor march yesterday as well.”

An official press statement by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has called for a massive mobilisation of farmers across India in favour of its demands and against the “repression” of the farmers movement in the country.

According to an official statement, “The SKM General Body (GB) on Thursday decided to organise a massive mobilisation of farmers with a slew of programmes to be observed all over India in support of its demands and against the repression of the farmers’ struggle.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)