E-Paper
‘Emergency like situation’: Vinesh Phogat meets protesting farmers
Vinesh Phogat urged citizens to come forward and unite for the farmer's cause.
Congress MLA Vinesh Phogat on Sunday said the country is facing an “emergency-like situation” and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find solutions to issues faced by protesting farmers “apart from giving speeches”.
The wrestler-turned-politician met protesting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri Border, and expressed support for the farmers' protest.
“He (Dallewal) is risking his life for others. I urge the people of Punjab, Haryana and the whole country to participate in this protest. There is an emergency-like situation in the country. The government will have to find a solution to this, and PM Modi gives very big speeches, yesterday also he gave a speech in Parliament, but now something has to be done apart from giving speeches,” Phogat told ANI, urging citizens to come forward and unite for the farmer's cause.
Dallewal refuses medical aid
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav and Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs Mayank Mishra met Dallewal at the Khanauri border point on Sunday.
The meeting is the result of a direction from the Supreme Court to find a way to provide him with medical aid and persuade him to break his indefinite fast since November 26.
The meeting was unsuccessful as Dallewal refused to accept medical aid and urged the government to look into the protesting farmers' demands.
Speaking about the meeting, Yadav said he had informed Dallewal about Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann's concerns.
Also read | Delhi braces for another round of farmers' protest: what are their demands?
“We enquired about the health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. We gave him a message from Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. Punjab CM is worried about him. We have appealed to them to provide medical assistance to Jagjit Singh Dallewal and other farmer leaders. His life is priceless,” Yadav said.
Farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni said the demands of farmers remain the same and urged the Centre to initiate a dialogue.
“They (farmers) are protesting silently, but no one is listening to them. The government should call the farmers for talks and find a solution. We are trying to ensure that if those who were involved in the protest earlier (against the three agricultural laws) join this protest, the weight of the protest will increase,” he added.
(With agency inputs)
