Chandigarh: Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal appealed to farmers to reach Khanauri protest site on the Punjab-Haryana border in large numbers on Saturday to strengthen the ongoing fight for demands including legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. Dallewal has been on a hunger strike for the last 39 days to pressurize the central government to accept various demands of the farmers. In a 70-second video message released on Friday, Dallewal said that those who are part of the fight for legal guarantee of MSP on crops, "must reach Khanauri because I want to see you." 

Farmers are camping at Shambhu border and Khanauri border

Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at the Shambhu border and Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, 2024 after security forces stopped them from marching towards Delhi. Dallewal (70), who has been on a fast for a long time, has refused to take any medical help, due to which his health has deteriorated. The Punjab government is trying to persuade Dallewal to at least take medical help if he does not want to end his fast. However, Dallewal is firm on his stand. 

 Dallewal's health is under constant surveillance 

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had said on Thursday that a team of government doctors was constantly monitoring Dallewal's health. Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohad told reporters in Khanauri that Dallewal would speak for two-three minutes at Saturday's event to give an important message. Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of the Kisan Manch leading the agitation at Shambhu Border and Khanauri Border, accused the Center of adopting an "obstinate attitude" and not trying to resolve the issue. When asked about holding talks with the agitating farmers to end the deadlock, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said on Wednesday that the government would work as per the Supreme Court's directions in connection with the farmers' protest on the Punjab-Haryana border. 

The apex court bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjwal Bhuyan had clarified on Thursday that it never directed to break Dallewal's fast but was only concerned about his health and wanted him to be provided immediate medical assistance. Pandher said, "Our demands are related to the central government. This is not a matter of the court. The (Narendra) Modi government should talk directly (to the agitating farmers)."