Patiala. Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for 42 days, emphasized that his main focus is on farm reforms, placing it above his own health and well-being. This statement came during a brief interaction with a high-powered committee set up by the Supreme Court to facilitate discussions with farmers. The committee, which includes retired high court judge Justice Nawab Singh, former DGP BS Sandhu, economist RS Ghuman, agriculture expert Devinder Sharma, and Punjab Farmers Commission chairperson Sukhpal Singh, visited Dhabi Gujaran village near the Khanauri border at around 3:15 PM to meet with Dallewal for about ten minutes. In the meantime, the Supreme Court expressed optimism that the discussions between Dallewal and the committee would lead to positive outcomes. A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice NK Singh conveyed their hopes after senior counsel Kapil Sibal reported that the protesting farmers, under Dallewal’s leadership, had agreed to engage with the committee. The bench requested updates on the meeting’s results and postponed a hearing regarding a contempt plea against the Punjab Chief Secretary and the DGP concerning medical assistance for Dallewal until Friday. While at the Khanauri border, Justice Nawab Singh took the time to speak with farmers and even visited the makeshift encampment. During this visit, a farmer named Niranjan Singh approached him, urging, “Please hurry, or we might lose our leader.” Inside the glass enclosure, Dallewal addressed the committee, stating, “I have a request. It’s been 42 days, and I’m confident that nothing will happen to me as long as God is with me. I simply ask that the government show some compassion towards farmers. They need to honor the commitments made to us regularly. If the government meets our demands, I wouldn’t need to continue this fast. I implore you to take our concerns to the government.”
Dallewal tells the SC committee that agriculture reforms come first, while his health is a secondary concern.
