Hours before Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) leader Jagjeet Singh Dallewal, 67, was to embark on a fast-unto-death in support of farmers’ demands at Khanauri, Punjab Police whisked him away from the protest site early on Tuesday and got him admitted in a Ludhiana hospital.
A police team from Patiala detained the farmer leader in his tent at the protest site on the Sangrur-Jind border around 3.45am before taking him away and getting him admitted at the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana. Dallewal is on medication though he has recovered from prostate cancer recently. In October, he was absent from the protest for a month due to pneumonia.
Though Dallewal’s Kisan Mazdoor Morcha counterpart Sarwan Singh Pandher claimed that the Punjab and Haryana Police had detained Dallewal in a joint operation, the Patiala police later clarified that they had taken the farmer leader to DMCH as he was unwell.
Deputy inspector general of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the administration was concerned about Dallewal’s age and health in the wake of his fast-unto-death call. “Considering his health and seniority, the administration decided that his proper medical checkup was important. We are getting his checkup done at DMC, Ludhiana,” said Sidhu.
{{/usCountry}}Deputy inspector general of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu said the administration was concerned about Dallewal’s age and health in the wake of his fast-unto-death call. “Considering his health and seniority, the administration decided that his proper medical checkup was important. We are getting his checkup done at DMC, Ludhiana,” said Sidhu.
{{/usCountry}}Bid to intensify agitation
Condemning the detention, Pandher said that it was an attempt to torpedo the ongoing protest of farmers.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had earlier announced to intensify their agitation in support of their demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops, by starting a fast unto death.
The protesting farmers had accused the Centre of not taking any step to accept their demands, stating that it had not held any talks with them regarding their issues since February.
Union minister Bittu denies Centre’s role
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu denied the Centre’s role in Dallewal’s detention and posted on X, “Detention of farmer leader Dallewal ji is orchestrated by the Bhagwant Mann-led (Punjab) government. No central agency is involved in his arrest. It is purely the work of the state police, aimed at shifting the blame onto central agencies to divert attention from the real issue. The central government always works for the welfare of farmers and does not engage in such tactics.’’
Dallewal had on Monday said that he was ready to sacrifice his life to get the demands of the farmers fulfilled. He said he will continue this fight till his last breath.
The SKM and the KMM are spearheading the Delhi Chalo march scheduled for December 6 to press the government to accept their demands.
The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 when their march was stopped by security forces.
They are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, farm-debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and justice for 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.