Farmer leader Dallewal sits on fast-unto-death at Khanauri border

Chandigarh: A day after he was discharged from a Ludhiana hospital, Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Saturday sat on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point to press for the acceptance of farmers' demands.

Dallewal replaced Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande, who on Saturday ended his fast-unto-death, which he began on November 26.

The decision to end Sukhjit's fast was taken in a meeting of farmer leaders at the border point.

Hours before beginning his fast-unto-death on November 26, Dallewal was allegedly forcibly removed from the Khanauri border and taken to a hospital in Ludhiana. He was discharged on Friday evening.

Addressing the media at the Khanauri border on Saturday, farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa said Sukhjit was requested to suspend his hunger strike as Dallewal has returned to the protest site where he sat on the fast-unto-death.

He said initially, Dallewal was supposed to sit on the fast but the Punjab Police removed him from the protest site, following which Sukhjit observed the hunger strike.

According to farmers, since Dallewal had started his fast-unto-death when he was in the Ludhiana hospital, he would continue it at the Khanauri border point.

Sirsa accused the Punjab government of abducting Dallewal and keeping him in illegal custody under the pretext of carrying out his medical checkup.

He claimed that no medical examination of Dallewal was carried out at the hospital.

Another farmer leader will sit on a fast-unto-death after Dallewal sacrifices his life for farmers' cause, Sirsa said.

Meanwhile, the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha held a meeting at the Shambhu border point in connection with their programme of marching to Delhi on December 6.

KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher asked farmers to reach the Shambhu border point in large numbers.

Among other issues, the farmers are also demanding the Centre hold talks with them to resolve their concerns, claiming the Union government has not held any talks with them since February 18.

They have already given a call to march towards Delhi on December 6.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha earlier announced plans to intensify their agitation in support of the farmers' various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP, by starting a fast-unto-death.

The farmers have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

The protesters have accused the Centre of not taking steps to address their demands, claiming that it has not held any talks with them on their issues since February 18.

Besides a legal guarantee for MSP, the farmers are demanding implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.