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'Submit Jagjit Singh Dallewal's health reports for AIIMS board opinion': Supreme Court to Punjab govt
The Supreme Court was surprised as to how the health conditions of Dallewal, who has been on fast unto-death for nearly 50 days, is improving.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought health reports of fasting farmers' leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal from the Punjab government to get an opinion from the AIIMS medical board.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh was surprised over how the health conditions of Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite fast for nearly 50 days, are improving, new agency PTI reported.
The court asked the Punjab government chief secretary to submit Dallewal's test reports during the court of the day with the top court registrar.
The bench directed that after receiving the documents, the registrar communicate them to the AIIMS director and seek an opinion on Dallewal's test reports from the medical board.
Notably, the Punjab government informed the Supreme Court that authorities are in deliberations with the protesting farmers, adding that they are hopeful of a solution.
ALSO READ | Amid Dallewal’s deteriorating health, protesting farmers urge SKM to hold unity meet soon
Appearing for the state of Punjab, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said that some progress has been made in connection with moving the farmer leader to a makeshift hospital, which was recently put up 10 metres away from the protest site.
The representatives of the Centre are also meeting the protesting farmers, Sibal said.
Dallewal had met with the SC-appointed panel on January 6 after the Punjab government said that the protesting farmers were convinced to meet retired Justice Nawab Singh, who chairs the committee.
On November 26, 2024, the convenor of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM)(non-political) began his fast unto-death. Dallewal also refused any medical assistance from the Punjab government, following which his health began to deteriorate.
ALSO READ | ‘My life is not important’: Farmer leader Dallewal at ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’
Meanwhile, farmer leaders on Tuesday said Dallewal was having difficulty drinking water. They added that his body was still not accepting water and was moving towards "multi-organ failure," which is worrisome.
Farmers had even said that the SKM leader had not been eating anything and was just surviving off water.
The apex court had also questioned the Centre as to why it couldn't say that its door was open and it would consider the genuine grievances of the protesting farmers.
Farmers have been camping and protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Haryana and Punjab since February 13, 2024, demanding a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) among other things.
(with PTI inputs)
