Criticizing the central government for being “indifferent” to their demands, a group of 111 farmers on Wednesday began a fast unto death in solidarity with their leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
Meanwhile, Dallewal’s indefinite fast entered its 51st day. The protesting farmers have expressed concern over the “deteriorating” health of 70-year-old Dallewal, saying his prolonged fast could lead to “multiple organ failure”.
Dallewal, convener of the Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), is on an indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year. Farmers are agitating for various demands including legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
Dallewal has refused to seek any medical attention during his fast, due to which his health has further deteriorated. Farmers under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year. At that time the security forces did not allow them to march to Delhi.
Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar, who has been associated with Dallewal for a long time, on Wednesday accused the central government of not paying attention to the demands of the farmers. Kohar said, “Today Dallewal’s fast unto death entered its 51st day. The central government is neither ready to listen to anything, nor is it starting talks nor is it fulfilling our demands.”
When asked about talks with the protesting farmers to end the deadlock, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had recently said that the government will work as per the directions of the Supreme Court.
Regarding Dallewal’s health condition, Kohar said that his condition is ‘critical’ due to his indefinite fast. According to Kohar, doctors have said that his body is not able to digest even water and whenever he drinks water, he vomits.
Doctors attending to Dallewal have already said that his health is “deteriorating” every day. Their ketone levels have increased and muscle mass has decreased.
Farmers had earlier said that Dallewal had not eaten anything since November 26 last year and was only drinking water.
The protesting farmers have now decided that a group of 111 farmers will start a fast unto death in solidarity with Dallewal, which has started from Wednesday.
“Farmers are emotional and have said that they will also follow Dallewal and start an indefinite fast peacefully,” Kohar said.
On December 20 last year, the Supreme Court had put the responsibility of deciding on Dallewal’s hospitalization on Punjab government officials and doctors.
Meanwhile, SKM (Non-Political), Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and SKM have started talks to fight together to put pressure on the Center to accept their demands.
SKM, which led the 2020 agitation against the three repealed farm laws, is not a part of the SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) agitation this time.
