Amid Dallewal’s deteriorating health, protesting farmers urge SKM to hold unity meet soon

Dallewal, who is the convener of the SKM (Non-Political), has been on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year

Amid the ‘deteriorating’ health of veteran farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been fasting since November 26 last year, the protesting farm unions urged Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to hold the ‘unity’ meet in the next 48 hours.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered 47th day on Saturday, has so far refused to take any medical aid despite his prolonged fasting, which has caused his health to worsen.

The leaders of the SKM (Non-Political) and the KMM on Saturday said both forums have written to the SKM, urging it to hold a joint meeting on January 12 or 13 at the Khanauri protest site considering the fasting farm leaders’ health.

Farmer leader Sukhjeet Singh Hardo Jande, who is a member of SKM (Non-Political), said: “Considering the health of our leader Dallewal, we have requested SKM leaders to immediately hold a meeting at the Khanauri protest site as we are not in a position to leave the morcha (protest site).”

The request came a day after a six-member committee of SKM visited the Khanauri protest site and invited the SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha for a meeting on January 15 in Patiala for unity among farmer bodies for a joint fight against the Centre to get farmers’ demands including a legal guarantee to minimum support price for crops.

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

Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered 47th day on Saturday, has so far refused to take any medical aid despite his prolonged fasting, which has caused his health to worsen.

Meanwhile, the blood test reports of the fasting leader have revealed the blood ketone level at 6.53 mmol/L, against a normal value of 0 and 0.6. Doctors said high blood ketone level indicates acute starvation.

The report, accessed by HT, further said Dallewal’s uric acid level was 11.64 mg/dL— which indicates deranged renal functions.

The medical board, constituted by the Punjab government comprising doctors from Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, had conducted tests on Dallewal.

Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar further said Dallewal’s uric acid is much higher than the normal range.

“The ketone level is also on the higher side. Sodium, potassium and chloride are also very low in Dallewal’s body,” Kohar said.

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 last year, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.