Farmer Leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal Denied Medical Aid for Six Days Amid Hunger Strike

Punjab-Haryana Border: Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been unable to receive medical aid for the past six days as doctors struggle to locate his veins for an intravenous drip, according to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

Dallewal, 70, has been on a hunger strike since November 26 at Khanauri, on the Punjab-Haryana border, demanding a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP). On January 18, he agreed to take medical aid after the Union government announced talks on February 14, but reaffirmed that his fast would continue until their demands were met.

Apart from MSP, the protesting farmers seek the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, a farm debt waiver, reinstatement of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, and justice for the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence victims.

Since February 2024, no government discussions have taken place, leading farmers to camp at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders under the protest banners. To mark one year of their struggle, farmer groups have scheduled unity meetings in Rajasthan’s Ratanpura on February 11, at Khanauri on February 12, and at Shambhu on February 13.