Punjab AAP leaders meet Jagjit Dallewal, extend support to farmers

Extended their support to the farmers’ demands, a delegation of Punjab’s ruling AAP on Wednesday met farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal at Khanauri protest site and urged him to take medical treatment saying that his health is “important”.

Dallewal’s fast-unto-death entered its 31st day on Wednesday.

The delegation comprised of Punjab Minister and AAP’s state unit president Aman Arora, ministers Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Balbir Singh, Barinder Kumar Goyal, Hardeep Singh Mundian, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, Laljit Singh Bhullar and party’s state unit working president Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi, among others.

Dallewal (70) has been sitting on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border since November 26 to put pressure on the Centre to accept the farmers’ demands, including legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP).

The farmer leader has not had anything during his fast and he is just taking water, doctors from an NGO attending on him earlier said.

They have also described his condition as “critical”.

Doctors regularly examine him. However, Dallewal has refused to take any treatment despite his deteriorating health.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Dallewal, Aman Arora said due to “wrong policies” of the Centre, farmers had to carry out a year long agitation at Delhi’s borders against the now repealed farm laws and now for past ten months farmers were again agitating at Shambhu and Khanauri borders for their demands.

He claimed the Centre had failed to fulfill its promises it made to farmers at the time when farm laws were repealed.

“It has been a month of Dallewal’s fast. His agitation is for genuine demands and he is fighting for Punjab but we know Centre’s indifferent attitude,” Arora said.

“We told Dallewal sahab that the AAP government and our party and entire Punjab is with them in their agitation. But we told him that for agitations to be successful and achieve their aim the one who is leading it his health is important,” Arora said.

Arora said that from time to time AAP MPs along with allies has been raising the farmers issue in parliament, but the Centre is not prepared to listen.

He also said recently a delegation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) raised the issue of Dallewal’s health with Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and urged him to intervene and press the Centre to initiate talks with the protesting farmers.

“Today, we have requested Dallewal ji that if he gives up his hunger strike that will be good,” said Arora, while adding if the farmer leader wants to continue his hunger strike “at least he should not refuse medical treatment as his internal organs are also getting affected”.

“We came with the hope that Dallewal will accept our request,” he said.

However, later farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said that till legal guarantee to MSP demand is not accepted Dallewal’s fast will continue like before.

“Dallewal ji has made this amply clear from the stage yesterday,” Kohar said.

Dallewal on Wednesday told Aman Arora that crop diversification cannot happen till Centre gives legal guarantee to MSP.

Arora said given the “indifference and shamelessness” of the Centre, “we all know that this stir will continue for long and for this Dallewal sahab’s health is important”.

Replying to a question, he said if Dallewal tells AAP or the party government in the state that a particular thing has to be done so that they can strongly fight the stir for their genuine demands, we are ready to do that.

To another question, Arora said, “If farmers want we can call an all-party meeting. But all know what would be BJP’s stand as demands of farmers pertain to Centre. What we are saying such a strategy should be there which will yield result.”

When asked that Dallewal has said he should not be evicted from his protest site, Aman Arora said the government has no intention to do that and dubbed as baseless anyone circulating such rumours.

Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said they are concerned about Dallewal’s health.

He said our medical team had already been deputed at the protest site.

“We are concerned about his health. We are telling him that at least take medical treatment. If they agree, we can start treatment at the site itself,” said Balbir Singh.

Earlier in the day, Congress MP from Amritsar, Gurjeet Singh Aujla also met Dallewal at Khanauri.

Aujla said he had gone to enquire about his well-being.

Expressing concern over his prolonged fasting, Aujla told reporters that he requested Dallewal that people need his guidance and people need leaders like him and his health is important.

He said Dallewal told him that political leaders should exert pressure on the central government regarding farmers’ demands.

Farmers, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and the Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

A “jatha (group)” of 101 farmers attempted to march to Delhi on foot three times between December 6 and 14 but were stopped by security personnel in Haryana.