Key Takeaways
- Farmer leader Sardar Jagjit Singh Dallewal, on a hunger strike for 24 days, experienced a health crisis, including fainting and severe weight loss.
- The Supreme Court has raised concerns about his health as he demands a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and other farmer-related reforms.
- Congress leaders, led by MP Deepender Hooda, visited Dallewal and urged the government to fulfill its commitments to farmers.
- Hooda criticized the government for failing to implement previous agreements with farmer organizations.
Jind: The health of Sardar Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a prominent farmer leader who has been on a hunger strike at the Khanauri border for the past 24 days, took a serious turn on Thursday, December 19. Dallewal, who had already been showing signs of deteriorating health, fainted in the afternoon after experiencing repeated vomiting episodes. Despite medical attention provided within the protest site’s tent, his condition has become increasingly fragile. He has lost 11 kilograms in the last week alone and was unable to address the crowd for two days prior to his collapse.
Doctors attending to him have been monitoring his health daily and report that while he is currently stable, his condition remains a concern.
Supreme Court Expresses Concern
Dallewal’s hunger strike aims to demand a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and fulfill other long-pending promises to the farming community. The Supreme Court, aware of the farmer leader’s plight, has expressed concern over his deteriorating health. However, Dallewal remains resolute in his protest, underscoring the urgency of the farmers’ demands.
Congress Delegation Visits Dallewal
On Thursday evening, a delegation of Congress leaders, led by MP Deepender Hooda, visited Dallewal at the protest site. Hooda expressed deep concern over Dallewal’s condition, calling it “very serious.” Addressing the media, Hooda demanded immediate action from the government, urging it to accept the farmers’ demands and end Dallewal’s hunger strike.
“The government must abandon its rigid stance and implement the agreements reached on December 9, 2021, with farmer organizations during the farmers’ movement,” Hooda said. “The promises made to the farmers have not been fulfilled, which is both unjust and unacceptable.”
Call for MSP Law
Hooda also pushed for the enactment of a law guaranteeing MSP. “If farmers wish to go to Delhi to present their case, why should the government object? Do the farmers of this country not have the right to voice their concerns in the nation’s capital?” he questioned.
The Congress leader’s statements have amplified the farmers’ call for justice, putting additional pressure on the government to act decisively.
Government Under Fire
The ongoing protest has reignited debates over the government’s handling of farmer-related issues. Critics argue that the failure to fulfill past promises made during the farmers’ movement has eroded trust and compelled leaders like Dallewal to resort to extreme measures. The situation is being closely watched, with growing support for the farmers’ demands across political and social circles.
The Road Ahead
As the hunger strike enters its critical phase, the government’s response will likely determine the trajectory of this protest. Dallewal’s perseverance reflects the broader struggles of India’s farming community, and his health crisis serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of prolonged inaction.
