Punjab DGP, MHA director meet fasting farmer leader Dallewal in Khanauri

The Punjab Police chief along with a senior officer in the Union Home Ministry Sunday met farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been staging an indefinite hunger strike since last month, and enquired about his health.

Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav and Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs Mayank Mishra met Dallewal at the Khanauri border point and heard his demands.

Their visit came two days after the Supreme Court directed the Centre and Punjab government representatives to meet Dallewal immediately. The top court had further directed that the farmer leader be provided medical help and persuaded him to break his indefinite fast, saying his life was precious.

The 70-year-old Dallewal, a cancer patient, has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Dallewal, Yadav said, "We came here to enquire about his health. I have with me the Government of India's representative Mayank Mishra who was specially sent here."  Mishra said, "We have heard whatever his (Dallewal) demands are."  To a question, he said, "There was no proposal of any kind. I came here to hear him and also for implementation of the SC order."  DGP Yadav said, "We have told Dallewal that his way of leading a peaceful agitation has been appreciated everywhere and the government has also taken cognisance of it."  He said as per the Supreme Court's orders, Dallewal be convinced and emergent medical aid be provided to him.

"The chief minister has specially sent a message and our efforts are that talks should be held on their demands and this issue is resolved," the DGP said.

"We have appealed to farmers that Dallewal's life is precious. Medical facilities have been provided here and we are making efforts to resolve the issue with their coordination," he said.

The Punjab police chief said, "The SC has said Dallewal is a senior citizen, he has some health issues and he is a prominent farmer leader."  The SC has directed that emergent requisite medical aid be provided to Dallewal, he said, adding that well-equipped ambulances have been stationed here, Yadav said.

"We are constantly speaking to farmer leaders and we expect that we will reach a positive outcome," he said.

To another question, Yadav said the Punjab government has a clear stand on the issue. It considers the agitating farmers' demands genuine and also supports those, the state police chief said.

"We have tried that facilities be provided to him. It is an effort of the Punjab government that farmers' demands be facilitated," the DGP said, adding that Dallewal's vitals were being constantly monitored.

Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo march' and 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.

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

Later speaking to reporters, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said the officers came to inquire about the health of Dallewal.

"Dallewal said that the lives of 7 lakh farmers who committed suicide due to wrong policies of governments were more important than his life. He clearly stated that he will not take any medical treatment," he said.

According to Kohar, Dallewal told them that if the Central government was concerned about his life, then it should fulfil the farmers' demands to stop the suicides.

Besides a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (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.