Lives of farmers committing suicide more valuable than mine: Farmer leader Jagjit Dallewal

He further said the SC has only directed the state governments of Punjab and Haryana to provide medical care, therefore, not take him to the hospital

Veteran farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered the 19th day on Saturday, said the lives of those farmers, who are committing suicide because of the “wrong policies of governments”, is more valuable than his.

Veteran farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal being helped to the media interaction on Saturday. (HT Photo)

Acknowledging the Supreme Court’s concern about his health, Dallewal said, “My life is not more important than the lives of lakhs of Indian famers. Already over 5 lakh farmers have committed suicide owing to the distress in the farming sector over the past 25 years. This can only be stopped by giving a legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) fixed on the suggestions of Swaminathan Commission. I appeal to the Supreme Court to pressure the government to stop farmers from committing suicide.”

Dallewal further said the SC has only directed the state governments of Punjab and Haryana to provide medical care, therefore, no state government should try to take him to the hospital by misinterpreting the apex court’s direction.

“If any government uses force to take me to the hospital, then they will be responsible for any untoward incident as there is a lot of anger among farmers. No government should commit such a mistake,” said Dallewal while expressing his inability to speak due to weakness.

Seventy-year-old Dallewal, a cancer patient, has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border 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.

The doctors have already recommended his hospitalisation, saying he has turned weak because of the prolonged fast.