The Punjab government told the Supreme Court that Jagjit Singh Dallawal, a farmer leader who was going on indefinite hunger strike over various demands of the farmers, ended the fast by drinking water on Friday morning.
Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh told a bench of Justice Suryakant and Justice N. Kotishwar Singh that they have dispersed the protesting farmers on Khanouri and Shambhu border and all blocked roads and highways have been opened for traffic.
The Supreme Court appreciated Dallawal’s efforts and said that he is a true farmer leader who has no political agenda. The bench said, “We know that some people do not want to settle the complaints of farmers. We are not unaware of the situation. We know everything. ”The bench asked the Punjab and Haryana governments to file a status report about the ground situation. The apex court also asked the High Placing Committee headed by the former Judge of the High Court to file a supplementary status report to look into the complaints of the farmers.
The court also stopped contempt proceedings against Punjab Chief Secretary and Director General of Police for not following the order of the apex court to provide medical assistance to Dallewal. Police had allegedly detained several farmer leaders, including Saravan Singh Pandher and Dallawal, on March 19 when they were returning after a meeting with a central delegation headed by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan in Chandigarh.
Police had removed farmers and temporary structures installed there from Shambhu and Khanouri border. After this, the movement of vehicles on Shambhu-Ambala and Sangrur-Jind highways started again. Farmers were camping at Shambhu and Khanouri border between Punjab and Haryana from February 13 last year when security forces stopped him from going to Delhi.