Chandigarh, Jan 7 (PTI) Punjab farmer leaders on Tuesday said if something untoward happens to Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is sitting on a fast-unto-death, then the Centre may not be able to handle the situation which could arise thereafter.
Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar stressed that the Centre should resolve the farmers’ issues in a serious manner.
According to farmers, Dallewal’s health is “deteriorating” each passing day and “anything can happen to him”.
Dallewal, 70, who is the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 over farmers’ various demands including a legal guarantee of the minimum support price for crops.
Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered 43rd day on Tuesday, has so far refused to take any medical aid.
Addressing the media, Dr Avtar Singh, who is part of a team from NGO ‘5 Rivers Heart Association’ said Dallewal’s health condition worsened on Monday evening.
His blood pressure dropped and he vomited while lying on the bed, said the doctor.
His condition is deteriorating every day and anything can happen to him, he said.
Meanwhile, a team of government doctors also examined Dallewal at the Khanauri border.
Farmers said Dallewal’s condition remained critical on Tuesday and that he was not able to talk to anyone.
Farmer leader Kohar said, “God forbid if anything untoward happens to Dallewal ji, then perhaps the situation may not remain under control of the Central government.” The Centre should make efforts so that the situation does not reach that level, he said.
“If anything happens to Dallewal, then there will be a ‘blot’ on the tenure of the present government at the Centre which may never be cleaned,” said Kohar.
Lashing out at the Union government, he said it never happened even during the British rule that when a person is sitting on fast-unto-death and the government is not paying any attention to him.
Speaking about the next programmes, Kohar said effigies of the BJP government will be burnt on January 10 throughout the country against the Centre’s attitude towards the demands of farmers.
“Dallewal is fighting to save the future of the country’s farmers,” he said.
The draft policy on ‘National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing’ will be burnt on January 13, he said.
On January 26, tractors of farmers will be on the roads across the country, he further said.
Farmers, under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points since February 13, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
On Monday, a Supreme Court-appointed panel met Dallewal and urged him to take medical aid. He has so far refused to take medical assistance, offered by the Punjab government following the apex court’s directions. PTI CHS VSD KVK KVK
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