The Supreme Court will hear a plea seeking medical aid for farmers’ leader Dallewal on January 15. On December 12, 2024, Dallewal appealed to several religious leaders, urging them to press the Central government to meet the farmers’ demands. These demands include a legal assurance of a minimum support price (MSP) for crops. The plea highlights the ongoing struggle for farmers’ rights and welfare.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to hear a case concerning the health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite hunger strike to press for his demands, along with other petitions, on January 15.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh will review a plea on behalf of Dallewal, requesting a directive to the Central government to implement a proposal made to protesting farmers in 2021, which includes a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops after the repeal of the farm laws.
The Supreme Court previously asked the Centre why the government could not openly state that it was willing to consider the genuine concerns of farmers protesting for demands such as the legal guarantee of MSP.
Additionally, the court will address a plea seeking contempt action against Punjab government officials for failing to comply with its previous orders regarding Dallewal’s hospitalisation, which was ordered on December 20 of last year.
On December 12, 2024, Dallewal wrote to various religious leaders, urging the Central government to meet farmers’ demands, including the legal guarantee of MSP. Farmer leaders have expressed concern over Dallewal’s health, stating that “his condition was deteriorating after 48 days of fasting.”
On January 6, the elderly farmer leader met with the Supreme Court-appointed panel after the Punjab government reported that the protesting farmers were encouraged to meet with Justice (retd) Nawab Singh, who chairs the committee. Dallewal, who is the convener of the non-political Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), began his indefinite hunger strike on November 26, 2024, and has refused medical assistance from the Punjab government.
Farmers associated with the SKM and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after their march to Delhi was stayed by security forces.
On December 20, the Supreme Court placed the responsibility on Punjab government officials and doctors to decide on Dallewal’s hospitalisation. The court noted that he could be moved to a makeshift hospital located within 700 metres of the protest site at the Khanauri border.
In September 2024, the Supreme Court established a committee aimed at resolving the issues faced by the protesting farmers. The committee’s initial report highlighted that Farmers are facing problems like low crop production, increasing expenses, debts, and a poor system for selling their produce.
Along with Justice (retd) Singh, the committee includes retired IPS officer B.S. Sandhu, agriculture expert Devinder Sharma, Professor Ranjit Singh Ghuman, and Dr. Sukhpal Singh, an agricultural economist from Punjab Agricultural University.
Dallewal’s hunger strike, which commenced on November 26, is part of a broader movement demanding the legalization of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and other agricultural reforms. Farmers, under the banners of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border since February, causing significant disruptions to public movement and economic activities.
The Supreme Court previously instructed Dallewal to ensure that the ongoing protest does not obstruct highways or inconvenience the public. Notably, Dallewal was allegedly detained illegally at the protest site at the Khanauri border near Delhi. After being admitted to a hospital in Ludhiana, he approached the Supreme Court, claiming his admission was forced and amounted to detention.
Case Title: Labh Singh vs. KAP Sinha
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