Punjab: Farmers' protest at Khanauri border enters 314th day

Sangrur (Punjab) [India], December 22 : The protest organised by the farmers of Punjab at the Khanauri border in Sangrur district, near the Haryana border, entered its 314th day on Sunday. They have been protesting since February 13, 2024, to press on their various demands including a law to guarantee the minimum support price (MSP).

This is the 314th day of farmers protesting at the Punjab and Haryana border. Farm leader Sarwan Singh Pandher earlier appealed to the residents of both states to reach the Khanauri and Shambhu border in large numbers to support them.

The tensions have risen after Farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal fainted at the protest site recently on the Khanauri border while being on a fast-unto-death for over 20 days to press farmers' demands against the central government.
The Supreme Court on Friday said that it is the Punjab authorities' responsibility to ensure the stable health condition of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) convener Jagjit Singh Dallewal.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the Chief Secretary of Punjab and Chairperson of the Medical Board (constituted to monitor the health of Dallewal) to file an affidavit on the health condition of Dallewal as well as the steps taken to ensure that no harm is caused to his health.
It is the entire responsibility of the state of Punjab to ensure the stable health condition of Dallewal, for which, if he requires hospitalisation, the authorities will take a call as to whether he can be shifted to a make-shift hospital which is said to have been set-up at a distance of 700m from the protest site, the bench said.
"A fresh medical report about the health stability of Dallewal and the necessary steps taken meanwhile to ensure that no damage is caused to his health shall be filed by Chief Secretary, Punjab as well as the Chairperson of the Medical Board constituted to monitor the health condition of Dallewal," the bench stated in its order.
The apex court now posted the matter for compliance with its order on January 2, 2025.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta urged the apex court to pass an order to shift the farmer's leader to a hospital, saying his health was deteriorating. However, the Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh said that a coercive direction might create difficulties in the ground situation.
On December 18, Dallewal had said that the protesting farmers would not meet the Committee formed by the Supreme Court. The farmers were to hold a meeting with the committee on Wednesday but refused to meet citing several reasons including holding talks with the central government being one of them.
In a letter to retired Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge Justice Nawab Singh (Committee head), Dallewal highlighted that farmers attempting to march on foot to Delhi from the Shambhu border faced police brutality, allegedly resulting in injuries to over 40 farmers.
Meanwhile, Pandher, General Secretary of the Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, stated that the committee failed to address the issues in a timely manner and any future discussions would only be held with the central government if it is willing to engage.