Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for 54 days over the demands of farmers, agreed to take medical help late Saturday night, but will continue his hunger strike.
Central government representative, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Priyaranjan, handed over a letter of proposal for talks from the Center to Dallewal in Khanauri, after which Dallewal agreed to treatment. In the letter, an invitation has been given for a meeting in Chandigarh on February 14, taking forward the talks held on February 15 last year.
Central government ready for talks after 1 year
Central and Punjab ministers will consider demands including Minimum Support Price (MSP) in a meeting with farmer leaders in Chandigarh. Dallewal has been on a hunger strike since November 26, 2024. Farmers had set up a pakka morcha in Shambhu and Khanauri on February 13, 2024 and after a year the Center is ready for talks.
Center concerned about Dallewal’s health
Joint Secretary Priyaranjan enquired about Dallewal’s health and told him that the central government is extremely concerned about his health. After this, the joint secretary held a meeting with the farmer leaders in three phases for about three and a half hours and proposed a meeting. At around 10 pm, the farmer leaders approved the proposal after discussing with Dallewal.
Dallewal will continue his struggle – Kohad
When the farmer leaders requested Dallewal to take medical help, he said that the 122 farmers who are on a hunger strike in his support should also be consulted. A meeting will be held with those farmers on Sunday. Former ADGP Jaskaran Singh and former DIG Narinder Bhargava were also with the joint secretary.
Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohad said that Dallewal made it clear that he would continue his struggle until the MSP guarantee law is enacted. Dallewal’s demand was that the meeting should be held in Delhi, but the Center said that the election code of conduct is imposed in Delhi. For this reason, he is ready to hold a meeting in Chandigarh.
Dallewal started vomiting again
Earlier on Friday midnight, Dallewal started vomiting again. Dr. Avtar Singh said that we urged him to get vaccinated, but he flatly refused.
Meanwhile, among the 121 farmers who were on a hunger strike in the Haryana border, Bathinda farmer Badal Singh also started vomiting on Saturday. Another farmer Palwinder Singh’s sugar level dropped, but both of them refused to get treatment.
The Morcha’s meeting remained inconclusive, all doors of unity are open: Pandher
A meeting of both factions of the United Kisan Morcha was held in Pattran, Patiala. United Kisan Morcha (non-political) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that the Morcha is in favor of unity and all doors are kept open. The other faction has sought time to consider some demands.
Will take decision in meeting on 24th in Delhi: Rajewal
Leader of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Political) Balveer Singh Rajewal said that both the fronts are committed to unity. The Center is making an agricultural marketing policy to implement the agricultural law in a new form. We want to put the demands above. The other group has said to consider. Will decide in the Delhi meeting on 24th.
The Center wrote this in the letter
The letter signed by Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary, Union Agriculture Ministry, is addressed to Jagjit Singh Dallewal and both the farmer organizations.
The letter states that in continuation of the meeting held with the leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Political) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Apolitical) on 15 February 2024, a meeting has been organized at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration Punjab (MGSIPA) in Sector-26, Chandigarh on 14 February 2025.
In this, the ministers of the Central Government and Punjab Government will consider the demands of the farmers. In the letter given by the Center, Dallewal and other farmer leaders have been invited to attend and wishes have also been expressed for the speedy recovery of Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
Farmer leaders have been appealed to attend the meeting at the appointed time. It is hoped in the letter that Dallewal will soon end his fast unto death and will participate in the meeting after recovering.