Chandigarh: Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar Thursday said it is in the hands of the Centre on how long their protest will continue as he asserted that there should be no hitch in accepting their demands as a parliamentary panel has recommended legal guarantee to MSP.
With farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewa’s indefinite hunger strike entering its 38th day, Kohar said his health is deteriorating day-by-day and he has put his life at stake for the farmers’ cause.
When asked how long their protest at Khanauri and Shambhu border will continue, Kohar told reporters, “That is in the hands of the Centre. If they fulfill our demands…”
On the Supreme Court Thursday observing that some farmer leaders are making irresponsible statements in the media to further complicate the situation on the ground, he said they are yet to go through the court’s observations.
“It is important to study today’s proceedings…,” he said in Khanauri.
Kohar, however, said farmer leaders have only been expressing Dallewal’s feelings that the Centre should fulfill the promises it made to farmers.
We always respect constitutional bodies, he said.
Referring to a recent incident, Kohar said Dallewal, despite his critical health and having fainted for a few minutes, still offered to connect through video conferencing to a top court proceedings hearing farmers matter.
“We have only said that Supreme Court should give direction to the Centre that when even a parliamentary panel has recommended legal guarantee to MSP, the union government should implement that,” he said.
“We have want that promises made to farmers should be fulfilled,” he said.
Farmers, under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
“Dallewal ji’s fast has entered its 38th day. A senior leader has put his life at stake. On January 4, respecting his sentiments to have a ‘darshan’ of farmers, at Khanarui morcha, a big gathering of farmers has been called in which he will give an important message,” Kohar said.
When asked if Dallewal will take medical aid, Kohar said no such thing has come up that there will be a ‘drip’ (intravenous drip).
Asked about a Punjab government team led by retired Additional DGP Jaskaran Singh meeting Dallewal over the past few days and even holding discussions with the farmer leaders at Khanauri, Kohar said once anything concrete comes up, both the farmers’ forums will then clear their stand.
Kohar said Dallewal has lost lot of weight, his blood pressure is fluctuating while other health parameters like kidney and liver functioning have also been adversely affected due to prolonged fasting.
The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the Punjab government and said its officials and some farmer leaders are creating a false impression in media that attempts are being made to break Dallewal’s fast.
A bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said it needs to clarify that the court has never directed to break Dallewal’s protest but is only concerned with his health and wants medical aid to be provided to him urgently.
The top court also issued notice to the Centre on a fresh petition filed on behalf of Dallewal seeking direction to the Union government to comply with the promises, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) on crops, made to the protesting farmers in 2021 after the farm laws were repealed.
Meanwhile, farmer leaders from some other states reached Khanauri in support of Dallewal and during a media interaction were introduced by farmer leader Lakhwinder Singh Aulakh.
P R Pandian from All Farmers Associations Tamil Nadu said all farmers are united and supporting Dallewal’s hunger strike in support of farmers’ demands.
He alleged refusal by the Centre to negotiate and fulfill the demands of farmers has anguished Tamil Nadu farmers.
Another leader Shanthakumar from Karnataka said the Punjab farmers are carrying out their agitation similar to country’s freedom movement.
He demanded the Centre to resolve the issue immediately.
