Supreme Court Directs Punjab Government to Provide Urgent Medical Care to Fasting Farmer Leader

New Delhi, Dec 19 (NationPress) The Supreme Court has instructed the Punjab government to ensure that immediate medical care and examination is provided to farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is currently on a fast unto death.

The 70-year-old, who is a cancer patient, has been fasting at Khanauri, the border area between Punjab and Haryana, since November 26 in support of long-standing demands which include a legal assurance for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, loan waivers, and reforms to enhance conditions in the agricultural sector.

A bench led by Justice Surya Kant emphasized that Dallewal should first receive medical assistance and have his health condition assessed.

In reply, the Advocate General of Punjab stated that a temporary medical facility has been established near the protest site, although Dallewal has declined to undergo a medical evaluation.

The supreme court urged the state government to convince Dallewal to accept medical help for at least a week, allowing other protesters to continue their demonstration.

The court will reconvene on Friday, when the Advocate General of Punjab is expected to present medical reports regarding Dallewal's condition to the court.

On Wednesday, the Justice Kant-led bench mentioned that farmers have the right to express their grievances directly to the apex court, especially after it was revealed that farmer leaders did not attend a meeting with the court-appointed panel.

Stating that the court is always accessible, it affirmed that farmers could present their demands either directly or through authorized representatives.

The bench, which also includes Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, expressed deep concern over Dallewal's declining health and stressed the importance of the Punjab government ensuring his well-being.

On Sunday, Gaurav Yadav, the Director General of Police of Punjab, along with the Director from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Mayank Mishra, met with Dallewal following the Supreme Court's directive.

This meeting marked the first interaction between the Union government and a farmer leader since discussions with farmers ended without resolution in February. Last week, the top court declined to consider a new plea requesting immediate clearance of national and state highways in Punjab, which had been indefinitely blocked by alleged farmers and farmer unions.

Justice Kant's bench remarked, "Why are you filing repeated petitions? We are already engaged with this matter and have initiated steps. There is no need for repeated petitions."

In the ongoing PIL, the court stated, "We will never say ‘no’ to any counsel. Assist us on the scheduled date, and we will determine what orders may be issued regarding the opening of highways," before dismissing the new plea but permitting the petitioner's counsel to assist in the ongoing case concerning larger public interest issues.

In September, the Supreme Court had ordered the establishment of a committee aimed at amicably resolving the grievances of farmers protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border. It recommended that the panel, led by Justice Nawab Singh, a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, engage in discussions with the protesting farmers to facilitate the removal of their tractors and trolleys from the national highway to ease public access.

Furthermore, the apex court allowed farmers the option to relocate their peaceful protests to an alternative location.

Besides Justice Nawab Singh, the committee includes former Haryana DGP B.S. Sandhu, agricultural analyst Devender Sharma, Professor Ranjit Singh Ghuman, agricultural economist Dr. Sukhpal Singh, and Professor Baldev Raj Kamboj as a special invitee.