Fasting Dallewal given medical aid after govt invites protesting farmers for talks; Meet in Feb

Protesting farmers had accused the Centre of adopting an “indifferent attitude” to their demands and expressed concern over Dallewal's deteriorating health.

Published on: Jan 19, 2025, 09:56:25 IST

By HT News Desk

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Fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the convener of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), was given medical aid on Sunday on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. This came as Dallewal agreed to take medical aid after the Centre invited the protesting farmers to a meeting in Chandigarh on February 14 to discuss their demands.

A team of government doctors is administering IV fluids to fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. (HT Photo/Karam Prakash)

A team of government doctors administered Dallewal IV fluids. The farmer leader, however, continues his fast-unto-death protest.

The 70-year-old leader has been protesting at the Khanauri border since November 26 to press the Centre to accept the farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Also read | ‘My life is not important’: Farmer leader Dallewal at ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’

Besides a legally guaranteed MSP, the protesting farmers have been demanding a farm loan 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.

Earlier, the protesting farmer leaders had accused the Centre of adopting an “indifferent attitude” to their demands and expressed concern over Dallewal's deteriorating health.

During the deadlock, the Punjab government had expressed its inability to force Dallewal to accept medical aid. The top court is hearing a contempt petition against the state chief secretary and the director general of police for non-compliance with the December 20 order to provide medical aid and hospitalisation to Dallewal.

Also read | Group of 111 farmers begins fast unto death in solidarity with ailing Dallewal

Chandigarh meet

The discussions between the Centre, Punjab government, and farmer representatives will occur at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Public Administration in Chandigarh's Sector-26.

“You are cordially invited to attend the meeting. Kindly ensure your presence on time,” read a letter issued by the Union agriculture ministry joint secretary Priya Ranjan. Representatives from the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been invited to attend the meeting.

The breakthrough came after a delegation led by the joint secretary met Dallewal and held a meeting with the representatives of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

(With inputs from Karam Prakash in Punjab)

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HT News Desk
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