Today, On 20th December, The Supreme Court instructed Punjab authorities to take farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was on an indefinite fast at the Khanauri border, to a hospital due to health concerns. Dallewal has been protesting to demand a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP) on crops. The court acted after he had cooperated with medical tests earlier.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court directed the Punjab government to transfer fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal to a nearby makeshift hospital at the Khanauri border, where his health can be monitored continuously.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan requested Punjab’s Advocate General Gurminder Singh to provide an undertaking within the day regarding Dallewal’s transfer to the hospital set up near the protest site at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana.
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Singh informed the bench that Dallewal, who is 70 years old, cooperated with medical staff the previous day, undergoing various tests, including ECG and blood tests. He reported that Dallewal’s health condition appears stable at this time.
The bench stated it would revisit the matter around 2:30 PM. On Thursday, the court referenced civil rights activist Irom Sharmila, who protested for over a decade under medical supervision, and urged the Punjab government to encourage Dallewal to undergo a health examination.
The court had previously criticized the Punjab government for not conducting medical tests on Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast. Dallewal has been fasting at the Khanauri border since November 26 to urge the Centre to meet the farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Farmers, under the banners of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camped at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points since February 13 after their march to Delhi was obstructed by security forces.
The Haryana government set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi National Highway in February, following the announcement of the farmers’ march to Delhi in support of their demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP for their produce.
The Farmers’ Protest in India, which began in late 2020, was a massive movement by farmers opposing three agricultural laws introduced by the government. Farmers believed these laws favoured large corporations, posed a threat to their livelihoods, and undermined the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system.
The protest witnessed significant participation, especially from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, with farmers organising sit-ins at Delhi’s borders for over a year. Despite facing hardships like extreme weather and political resistance, the protest became a symbol of determination and solidarity, eventually leading to the repeal of the contentious laws in November 2021.