A file photo of Punjab farmers during the protest at Shambhu Border. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Punjab Government informed the Supreme Court of India on Friday (February 28, 2025) that representatives of the Union Government and farmers’ leaders have met twice to discuss issues, including the guaranteed Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, and would meet again on March 19, 2025.

Appearing before a Bench of Justices Surya Kant and N.K. Singh, Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh submitted that two Ministers of the State were also participating in the meetings.

Explained | Will a hike in MSP help farmers?

The platform for the meetings are being facilitated by an apex court-appointed committee led by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, Justice Nawab Singh. The Supreme Court’s consistent and urgent interventions prompted by the State of health farmers’ leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was on a hunger strike, had cleared the path for talks.

In January, after nearly two months of his fast Mr. Dallewal had finally accepted medical aid and was shifted to a makeshift hospital. Mr. Dallewal had relented after meeting with a high-level delegation from the Union Government. He was holding his hunger strike at Kanauri border. More than 110 other farmers’ leaders, had also joined Mr. Dallewal in his hunger strike at the time.

Besides MSP, the protesting farmers had further sought a legal guarantee to protect their income and stabilise the agricultural market. Farmers have been camped at Shambhu and Kanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana ever since their march to Delhi was stopped in February 2024.

During the earlier hearings, before the Centre’s team met with the farmers, the Supreme Court had separately questioned the Union Government’s reluctance to come out with a statement that its “doors are open” to consider the “genuine grievances” of the protestors.

Lauding the work done by the Justice Singh committee, the apex court ordered the State Government to pay them an honorarium for every meeting. The Bench said it would hold on to the confidential status reports filed by the committee for now. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the State of Haryana, had requested the court for copies of the reports.

Chandigarh:

A meeting between a Central team led by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and farmers’ representatives to discuss their various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops, was held in Chandigarh cordially on Friday and the next round of talks has been slated for February 22.

The over two-and-a-half-hour meeting with the 28-member delegation from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha was held after a year-long protest by farmers.

It was also attended by Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, the state’s Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Lal Chand Kataruchak and other state government representatives.

The two outfits have been spearheading the ongoing farmers’ protest at Shambhu and Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border for the past one year.

Following the meeting at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration here, the Union minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution said the talks were held in a cordial atmosphere and another round of talks will be held on February 22.

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will lead the central team in the next meeting, Pralhad Joshi said, adding that he would also be a part of that talk.

“Details about the steps taken by the Narendra Modi government for farmers’ welfare were shared with their leaders in today’s meeting,” he added.

Talking to reporters separately, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast, too said that the meeting was held in a positive atmosphere and another meeting will be held next week on February 22.

He was brought to the meeting venue from the Khanauri protest site in an ambulance. Farmer leader Kaka Singh Kotra said it took four hours for Jagjit Singh Dallewal to reach Chandigarh.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) convenor, has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point since November 26 to press the Centre on various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops.

About Friday’s meeting farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “We discussed in detail the issue of legal guarantee to MSP for crops in the meeting.” Another farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said earlier in the day that the government should frame a law to give a guarantee for MSP. He also said the farmers are convinced that a law guaranteeing MSP on crops will benefit every section of the country.

Prominent leaders who were part of the farmer delegation are Sarwan Singh Pandher, Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra, Sukhjit Singh, PR Pandian, Arun Sinha, Lakhwinder Singh, Jaswinder Longowal, MS Rai, Nand Kumar, Balwant Singh Behramke and Inderjit Singh Kotbudha.

On January 18, a delegation of senior officials from the Union agriculture ministry, led by Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan, invited representatives from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha for a meeting to discuss their demands.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal had agreed to take medical aid following the invitation but refused to end his fast unto death.

Four rounds of meetings took place between central ministers and the protesting farmers in February 2024 but the talks remained inconclusive.

A panel of three Union ministers — Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai — held talks with farmers’ representatives on February 18 last year.

At that time, the farmers had rejected the Centre’s proposal of buying pulses, maize and cotton crops at MSP by government agencies for five years.

Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Pandher on Thursday said they would make efforts to nudge the Centre towards resolving the farmers’ issues.

Farmers, under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and the Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year after security forces did not allow them to march to Delhi to press for their various demands.

Besides a legal guarantee for crop MSP, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariffs, 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 farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands

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

Chandigarh:

The Centre will hold a meeting with Punjab’s protesting farmers on February 14 in Chandigarh to discuss their demands, a senior official of the Union government said on Saturday evening.

The breakthrough came after a delegation of officials from the Union Agriculture Ministry, led by joint secretary Priya Ranjan, met fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and held a meeting with the representatives of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

The central government delegation also urged Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered 54th day on Saturday, to take medical aid so that he can participate in the proposed meeting.

Speaking to reporters at the Khanauri protest site, Ranjan said a high-level delegation was sent by the Centre keeping in mind the deteriorating health of Dallewal.

“We enquired about his health and held a meeting with the representatives (of protesting farmer bodies),” said Ranjan.

He said that the meeting will be held in Chandigarh on February 14.

“We urge him (Dallewal) to break his fast, take medical aid so that he can participate in the meeting,” he said.

Four rounds of meetings had taken place between the Central ministers and protesting farmers on February 8, 12, 15 and 18 last year, but talks had remained inconclusive.

Earlier in the day, farmers protesting at the Khanauri and Shambhu border points between Punjab and Haryana said they have received a proposal from the central government which they will discuss.

Farmers, under the banner of the SKM (Non-Political) and KMM, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points since February 13 last year. The farmers pitched their tents there after security forces refused to allow them to march to Delhi to press for their various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Farmer leader Dallewal, the convener of the SKM (Non-Political), has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point since November 26 last year.

Farmers earlier said Dallewal’s condition is “critical”. Dallewal has lost about 20kg and has refused any medical aid during his fasting, they said.

On Saturday, 10 more farmers began a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point. The number of fasting farmers has now increased to 121. 

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

Representational image only. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Punjab Government has formally rejected the Centre’s draft policy on agricultural marketing, asserting that it is an attempt to bring back the “contentious” provisions of the three farms laws repealed in 2021 after a year-long protest by farmers.

The State Government noted that since agriculture marketing is a State subject, the Government of India should not come up with any such policy and should leave it to the wisdom of the State to frame suitable policies on the subject as per their concerns and requirements.

The Centre had last year shared the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing with the State Government for its views on it.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had already said the Centre was trying to “bring back” the now-repealed farm laws, referring to the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.

The Aam Aadmi Party-led (AAP) Punjab Government had termed the draft policy as an attempt to reintroduce the three Central agricultural laws passed in 2020 “through backdoor.” After a year-long protest by farmers, the Centre had to repeal the laws.

Farmer outfits urge Punjab government to reject Centre’s draft policy on agricultural marketing

Punjab farmers have already rejected the draft policy with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, SKM (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha vociferously raising their voice against it.

In a communication to S.K. Singh, deputy agriculture marketing advisor and convener of the drafting committee, the Punjab Special Secretary (Agriculture) pointed out that the draft policy was totally silent on the issue of procurement of wheat and paddy at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), which was the most crucial one.

“At the time of the farmers’ agitation in 2020, one of the main issues was the apprehension of the farmers that the Government of India has the ultimate objective of doing away with procurement of wheat and paddy at MSP. Total absence of any reference to procurement at MSP in this draft policy has again given rise to the same apprehensions in the minds of the farmers of the State. This is the most crucial issue for the State of Punjab,” said the letter.

The State Government further noted that the draft policy places significant emphasis on promoting private markets.

“The broad spirit of the policy is to promote private markets and to significantly dilute the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Markets and to eventually make them irrelevant. In Punjab, on an average an area of 115 sqkm is served by an APMC market. This is the highest density of APMC Markets amongst all the States in the country.

“So, there is no need for any new private markets. As of now, farmers are able to sell their produce in the APMC markets in a totally transparent manner and under a well-established regulatory regime which ensures that the interests of the farmers are safeguarded. With the coming in of private markets, the APMC markets will be destroyed. Thereafter the farmers will be at the mercy of the owners of the private markets,” it said.

The State Government also objected to the proposal of capping the market fee at 2% for non-perishable commodities and 1% for perishable commodities.

“In Punjab, market fees and Rural Development Fund (RDF) have been utilised to establish a network of roads connecting each village to the mandi so that farmers are able to bring their produce to the mandis… With the reduction in these fees, it will not be possible to maintain the mandi yards and the rural roads network. Under such circumstances it will be difficult for farmers to bring their produce to the mandi yards to market them to get remunerative prices,” it said.

The State Government further pointed out that contract farming has been a significant concern for farmers. “They raised this issue very prominently during the farm law agitation. The draft policy encourages the promotion of contract farming,” it said.

“The proposal to declare silos as deemed market yards has been strongly opposed by farmers, who fear that Multinational Corporations (MNCs) will step into the shoes of Food Corporation of India (FCI) and exploit them. They also apprehend that the ultimate objective is for FCI to get out of purchasing wheat and paddy at MSP. This will be greatly detrimental to the marketing of the two major crops of the State,” it pointed out.

The State Government also objected to the capping of commission charges in the draft policy at 4% ad valorem on perishable and 2% on non-perishable commodities.

“The Government of Punjab totally disagrees with this draft policy on agricultural marketing. It feels that this draft policy is an attempt to bring back the contentious provisions of the three farms laws repealed in 2021 by the Centre after a year-long protest by the farmers,” said the letter.

The year 2024 saw farmer and farm labourer groups from Punjab resuming their protests highlighting the agrarian distress and asking the Union government to enact a law for guaranteed buying of their crops at the minimum support price (MSP).

Under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), protesters have been camping at Shambhu-Ambala and Khanauri-Jind, the inter-State boundaries between Haryana and Punjab from February 13, 2024. Their mission: start a ‘march’ to New Delhi to press the government on their demands, including a complete farm loan waiver and legal guarantees for purchasing their crops.

Elaborate security arrangements were set in place by the BJP-ruled Haryana government, and the ‘farmers march’ has been at a halt for close to 11 months. With the farmers not willing to relent, on November 26, 2024, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a veteran leader, started an indefinite hunger strike in support of their demands, at the Khanauri protest site in Punjab’s Sangrur district.

As Mr. Dallewal’s fast-unto-death has completed 40 days, the 67-year-old is visibly frail, yet he is unwilling to back down unless the government meets the farmer community’s demands.

Born on October 4, 1958, in a farmer-family at Dallewala village in Punjab’s Faridkot district, Mr. Dallewal completed his primary education in nearby Golewala and later pursued a Bachelor in Arts at the Government Brijindra college in Faridkot. He has a Master’s degree in political science. But his heart was in farming. After studies, Mr. Dallewal, who owned around 17 acres of farmland in his native village, opted to be a full-time agriculturist.

A vocal advocate for the rights of farmers, Mr. Dallewal started taking up the issues faced by the agricultural community in Punjab. His dedicated work surrounding not just farmers’ issues but also societal matters pertaining to the youth is seen as a key factor behind his swift rise as a farmer leader in the State. In 1989 when the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Sidhupur) was formed, Mr. Dallewal joined the outfit. Mr. Dallewal, who held various positions in the the BKU (Ekta Sidhupur), rose through the ranks to become the president of the organisation in 2017. ‘Sit-ins’ and ‘hunger strikes’ became a hallmark of Mr. Dallewal’s way of agitation over the years.

In recent years, he had held hunger strikes in March 2018, January 2019, January 2021, November 2022 and June 2023, all in support of farmers. However, the ongoing fast is his longest.

Open letter to PM

Ahead of launching his latest fast, Mr. Dallewal transferred his properties to his son, daughter-in-law and grandson, indicating his willingness to sacrifice his life for the cause of the farming community. In December, in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Dallewal equated the MSP for farmers to the fundamental right to live. Asserting that his death would possibly wake up the Union government from its deep slumber, he wrote: “To stop the deaths of farmers, I have decided to sacrifice my life…”

The ongoing protest has rekindled the memories of the year-long agitation during 2020-21 when scores of farmers camped at several places, including Singhu-Tikri, at Delhi’s boundaries, and chaos prevailed in the national capital and surrounding areas of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Back then, the farmers were demanding a repeal of three farm laws enacted by the Centre, which were eventually repealed.

The movement was spearheaded by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer outfits, in which Mr. Dallewal’s BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) was also a player. However, in 2022, when SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal formed the Samyukta Samaj Morcha (SSM) and decided to contest the Assembly election in Punjab, Mr. Dallewal, who was not in favour of jumping into politics, broke away and formed his new forum — the SKM (Non Political), which claims to be an amalgamation of around 28 organisations. The SKM (Non Political) is now at the forefront of the protests.

Chandigarh:

Farmers blocked roads at many places across the state on Monday as part of their Punjab bandh call, hamstringing the commuter traffic.

A call for a shutdown was given last week by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha over the Centre not accepting the demands of protesting farmers.

The bandh will be observed from 7 am to 4 pm. Farmers observed a sit-in at Dhareri Jattan Toll Plaza which affected vehicular movement on the Patiala-Chandigarh National Highway.

At Amritsar’s Golden Gate, farmers started to assemble near the city’s entry point while in Bathinda’s Rampura Phul, they blocked roads.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Sunday said though there will be a complete bandh, emergency services will be allowed to operate.

“The bandh will be observed from 7 am to 4 pm. However, emergency services will remain operational. Anyone travelling to the airport to catch a flight or anyone going to attend a job interview, or anyone needs to attend a wedding… all these things have been kept out of our bandh call,” he said.

Meanwhile, 70-year-old farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s hunger strike entered its 35th day on Monday.

Mr Dallewal has so far refused medical treatment.

Hundreds of farmers have been protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border demanding a legal guarantee of a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Mr Dallewal had earlier said he would not break his fast until the government agreed to the farmers’ demands.

The top court has given the Punjab government time till December 31 to persuade Mr Dallewal to shift to a hospital, granting the state the liberty to seek logistical support from the Centre, if necessary.

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.

A “jatha” (group) of 101 farmers attempted to march to Delhi on foot three times between December 6 and 14 but were stopped by security personnel from Haryana.

Besides the MSP, farmers are also demanding a debt waiver, pension, no hike in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases, and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

Farm activists at the Khanauri border point have increased security around the protest site, fearing that the Punjab government might once again try to whisk away the fasting veteran farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and get him hospitalised.

The steps came in the wake of the Supreme Court’s order that gave the Punjab government time till December 31 to persuade Dallewal, who has been fasting for over a month, to shift to hospital.

The 67-year-old has been on hunger strike since November 26 to press the Centre to accept farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee for a minimum support price (MSP).

The top court on Saturday granted the state government additional time to comply with its December 20 order and instructed the Centre to provide logistical support if requested.

The Punjab government, while acknowledging the court’s concerns, maintained that the government was in a difficult position.

“The entire protest site is under siege by farmers who refuse to let him be moved. Any use of force may lead to collateral damage, both to the farmers and the police,” Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh argued in the court.

The farmers have set up 24×7 vigils at the site and restricted access to Dallewal has become a major challenge for the police.

The Supreme Court on Saturday lashed out at the Punjab government for its inability to hospitalise Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for over a month, despite repeated medical advice, observing that this is not just a “failure of law-and-order machinery” but also an “abetment to suicide”.

Marking the second consecutive day the state faced the court’s ire for not complying with repeated orders to ensure Dallewal’s hospitalisation, the top court also lambasted those obstructing his hospitalisation, stating that the Supreme Court would not succumb to pressure and would not tolerate “a violent face” of the farmers’ movement.

Convening a special sitting during the vacation, a bench of justices Surya Kant and Sudhanshu Dhulia condemned the state’s handling of the situation, questioning why it allowed “a virtual fort to be created” around the protest site, adding the state government seems to support the agitation that may result in Dallewal’s death.

The matter has been adjourned to December 31, with the court warning that it would take strict action against the state chief secretary KAP Sinha and DGP Gaurav Yadav if its directions regarding Dallewal’s hospitalisation were not followed.

The Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government came under fire from the Supreme Court on the second consecutive day on Saturday even as the state’s chief secretary and director general of police (DGP) cited “fear of resistance and violence” and “collateral damage” as reasons for not being able to shift Dallewal to a hospital.

The two officers, who face contempt proceedings for not complying with the December 20 order of the court regarding Dallewal’s hospitalisation, remained present virtually during the court proceedings, as per the bench’s directive on Saturday.

Punjab’s advocate general Gurminder Singh went on to the extent of saying that the state is “helpless” in complying with the court order for moving Dallewal to a hospital.

Singh informed the court that multiple medical boards have been monitoring Dallewal’s health and that senior Ministers and the Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan had attempted to persuade him to seek medical aid.

However, Dallewal and several groups of farmers continued to resist hospitalisation, citing their demands for MSP guarantees and other agrarian reforms.

Reading out the affidavit submitted by the chief secretary and DGP, the Attorney General admitted that multiple groups of farmers had encircled the protest site, preventing authorities from moving Dallewal to a hospital.

“Who has allowed this situation to perpetuate? Who has let a virtual fort be created around him? Is this not a failure of law-and-order machinery?” the bench asked pointedly.

“This is not a question of demands or agitation. Preventing someone who is critically unwell from receiving medical treatment is unacceptable and unheard of. This is a criminal offence and nothing short of abetment to suicide,” it added.

The bench further observed that the Punjab government’s actions suggested tacit support for the protestors preventing Dallewal’s hospitalisation.

“Your affidavit gives the impression that the state is supporting him in continuing his fast at the site. Let us be very clear — the farmers’ agitation is a separate issue and we have repeatedly said through our orders that their demands would be looked into. But allowing a man’s life to be endangered in this manner is a failure of constitutional duty,” the bench remarked.

The court expressed dismay that the state was failing to strike a balance between maintaining law and order and protecting human life. Addressing the AG and the top officials present, the bench said: “Your officers have seen Punjab’s history of tackling significant challenges. Punjab has a glorious history of dealing with difficult situations in the past.”

As Singh said that farmers could agree to Dallewal’s hospitalisation if some “conciliation” was offered to them, the court responded: “It’s becoming clear that the government is speaking in their voice, but we are a constitutional court and we will not budge. If anyone wants to pressure us or put a precondition, we are not going to accept it…And you don’t have to be their spokesperson. We have already offered our platform to them.”

The bench granted the Punjab government additional time to comply with its December 20 order. It also instructed the Centre to provide logistical support if requested.

“We are with the people of Punjab and the farmer community. Our orders are not adversarial but aim to protect the life of one of the state’s tallest farmer leaders,” the court said.

The matter has been adjourned to December 31, with the court warning that it would take strict action against the state chief secretary and DGP if its directions regarding Dallewal’s hospitalisation were not followed.

The court also questioned the motives of those obstructing Dallewal’s hospitalisation, describing their actions as detrimental to the farmer community.

“There appears to be peer pressure. What kind of farmer leaders are there who want Dallewal to die? We don’t want to comment on the bona fide of such leaders who want him to die like this. He seems to be under pressure or such kind of leader. If Dallewal is under peer pressure, what does it say about the bonafide of these so-called leaders?” the bench asked.

Emphasising the urgency of the situation, the court observed, “Dallewal can continue his fast in a hospital where his vitals can be managed. He does not need to break his fast, but he cannot be allowed to endanger his life in this manner.”

It told the top officers that they must communicate to the people at the protest site that those preventing Dallewal’s hospitalisation want to deprive the farmer community of one of its tallest leaders.

During previous hearings on December 18 and 20, the court had cautioned that “the entire state machinery will bear the blame” if any harm befell Dallewal.

Dallewal’s hunger strike, which began on November 26, is part of a broader agitation demanding systemic agricultural reforms and legal guarantees for MSP. Protests under the banners of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have caused significant disruptions in Punjab and Haryana.

Despite mediation efforts by a Supreme Court-appointed committee, the impasse has continued.

The committee’s report has highlighted critical agrarian challenges, including unsustainable farming practices and mounting farmer debts, urging swift government intervention.

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

Chandigarh:

Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered the 24th day on Thursday, fell down and fainted for 8-10 minutes with doctors describing his condition as critical. The doctors said, “His life is hanging by a thread.” 

Doctors attending him at the Khanauri border protest site also said Dallewal is at risk of cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure.

Meanwhile, a panel of senior government doctors examined Dallewal’s health and also conducted some medical tests on him, said officials.

An ECG test was conducted and a blood sample was taken, they further said.

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Punjab government to convince Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast, to undergo a health examination.

The top court pulled up the Punjab government for not conducting medical tests on Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast at Punjab-Haryana Khanauri border.

Dallewal (70), a cancer patient, has been on the fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.

Speaking to reporters at the Khanauri border, doctors said Dallewal has not had anything for the last 24 days. “Because of that, he is critical and he is at the risk of cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure. We are monitoring him every day,” said doctor Abhiraj, who is part of a team of doctors from 5 Rivers Heart Association –an NGO.

“His blood pressure dropped today. We raised his legs and gave massage. But his situation is very sensitive. His life is hanging by a thread right now,” said the doctor, adding, “Anything can happen at any time.” Right now ketones are on the higher side, he said. “Because of electrolyte imbalance, he can have cardiac arrest at anytime. His situation is critical,” he further said.

Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said Dallewal’s condition has worsened.

“When he went to washroom to take a bath and after coming out of it, his condition worsened. He felt dizzy, fell down, vomited and fainted for around 8-10 minutes,” he further said.

The doctors gave him a massage and because of their efforts, his blood pressure went up but his situation is serious, said Kohar.

Kohar said Dallewal joined the hearing in the Supreme Court through video conferencing at around 2:20 pm, he said. He remained connected for around 12-15 minutes but it kept disconnecting intermittently, he said.

The top court on Thursday asked the Punjab government to convince Dallewal to undergo a health examination. The court pulled up the Punjab government for not conducting medical tests on Dallewal.

A parliamentary panel on Tuesday had recommended the government implement a legally binding minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce, arguing that such a measure could significantly reduce farmer suicides and provide crucial financial stability.

“We also want to bring to your notice that the issues on which we are agitating are not just our demands but are promises made to us by different governments,” said Kohar while referring to what Dallewal wanted to say.

Meanwhile, political leaders continued to arrive at the Khanauri border to enquire about the health of Dallewal.

Haryana Congress MPs Deepender Hooda, Jaiprakash, Satpal Brahmachari, Varun Chaudhary, MLAs Ashok Arora, Ramkaran Kala, Naresh Selwal, Induraj Narwal, Jassi Petwar, among other party leaders inquired about the health of Dallewal.

Deepender said Dallewal’s condition is very serious. “The government should immediately accept the farmers’ demand for MSP guarantee and end Dallewal ji’s hunger strike. The government should give up its rigid stand, and immediately implement the agreement reached between the government and farmer organisations on 9 December 2021 after the farmers’ movement,” he said.

Singer Sidhu Moosewala’s father Balkaur Singh also visited Khanauri border to enquire about the health of the farmer leader.

Earlier, Akali leader Balwinder Singh Bhundar asked the Centre to accept the farmers’ demands for which they were camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points.

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Simranjit Singh Mann also enquired about the health of Dallewal.

Meanwhile, several Khap leaders of Haryana held a meeting here on Thursday in the wake of ongoing farmers’ protest at Shambhu and Khanauri borders.

Satrod Khap leader Satish Kumar urged the Centre to initiate talks with the protesting farmers to resolve their issues. He condemned the use of teargas shelling against farmers recently who were trying to march towards Delhi on foot by the Haryana security personnel.

He demanded that they should be allowed to head towards the national capital. “Farmers have the right to hold a protest in the national capital,” said Kumar.

He further said a ‘Mahapanchayat’ will be held on December 29 in Hisar to decide about the next course of action and strategy. 

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

Chandigarh:

Farmers blocked train routes at several places in Punjab on Wednesday as part of their three-hour ‘Rail Roko’ protest to press the Centre into accepting their various demands, including a legally binding minimum support price for crops.

The call for the ‘rail roko’ has been given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said farmers have been squatting on rail tracks at many places from 12 noon and will continue to be there till 3 pm.

The places where the protest was supposed to be held included Moga, Faridkot, Kadian and Batala in Gurdaspur; Phillaur in Jalandhar; Tanda, Dasuya, Mahilpur in Hoshiarpur; Makhu, Talwandi Bhai in Ferozepur; Sahnewal in Ludhiana; Shambhu in Patiala; Mohali, and Sunam and Lehra in Sangrur.

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 security forces.

For the past three weeks, Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.

A “jatha” (group) of 101 farmers made three attempts to enter Delhi on foot on December 6, December 8 and again on December 14. Haryana security personnel did not allow them to proceed.

Besides a legal guarantee on 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. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Amritsar (Punjab):

As part of the ongoing protest, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday called for a ‘Rail Roko’ on Wednesday in Punjab for three hours starting from 12 noon. He appealed to the people of Punjab to participate in the protest.

“Tomorrow we will conduct Rail Roko in Punjab; I urge everyone to stop railways from 12 to 3 PM,” Mr Pandher told ANI.

Further appealing to everyone to support farmers’ protests, he said, “Support farmers’ protests more and more…. The Punjabis need to fight as one.”

He accused the central government of not resolving the issue.

“All unions are trying to protest in a uniform manner……….Our protest is not against state government,” the farmer leader added.

When asked about Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s hunger strike, Mr Pandher said that Dallewal’s health condition is critical.

“Dallewal’s condition is critical; if anything happens, then the central government will be responsible for it,” Mr Pandher cautioned.

Reportedly, the ongoing farmer protests have entered their 309th day.

“There is pressure from 140 crore Indians, 3 crore Punjabis, and 2.5 crore Haryanvis on the Modi government… We have 12 demands,” he stated.

“The singer of Punjab made this issue a people’s movement,” he added.

Meanwhile, New Delhi [India], December 17 : Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday morning moved an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the ongoing hunger strike by farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, which has entered its 21st day.

“Mr. Dallewal, the president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), is in critical condition, with medical experts advising immediate hospitalisation due to his deteriorating health. Despite this he has refused medical intervention, insisting on continuing his hunger strike for the cause of farmers,” the Lok Sabha MP said in his notice.

He further urged the central government to take ‘immediate’ action and engage with the farmers’ representatives in a ‘meaningful’ dialogue.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)