Lagatar24 Desk
Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has declared that his government will not use force to hospitalize Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-political) leader, who has been on a hunger strike for 38 days at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border.
The announcement follows the Supreme Court’s clarification on Thursday that it never directed Dallewal to break his fast but emphasized taking care of his health. The court, while hearing Punjab’s compliance report, said, “Our direction was not to break his fast. We only said let his health be taken care of and he can continue peaceful protest even when he is hospitalised.”
CM Appeals for Peaceful Protests
The Chief Minister has urged farmers to avoid protests and blockades that disrupt public life, citing a Punjab bandh that caused an estimated loss of ₹100 crore to the state. Mann also criticized the Centre’s approach, alleging that it was pressuring Punjab to act against the farmers.
“The BJP-led Centre is pushing us into direct confrontation with the farmers for its political gains in Delhi, where elections are due. Instead of sending forces, the Centre should extend an invite for talks,” Mann remarked.
Centre’s Draft Agriculture Policy Criticized
The Chief Minister expressed concerns over the Centre’s draft National Policy Framework on Agriculture Marketing, calling it an attempt to revive the contentious farm laws repealed in 2021. Mann argued that the policy aims to privatize food procurement and goes against the farmers’ demands for a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for all crops.
“AAP is committed to modernizing public agricultural markets, while the BJP is determined to hand over procurement to private players,” Mann asserted.
Centre Must Resume Talks, Says Mann
Mann appealed to the Centre to resume talks with the farmers and criticized its lack of engagement since February 2024. “The Centre claims to be a global leader capable of brokering peace internationally but refuses to talk to its own farmers. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan must stop avoiding Punjab farmers’ demands,” Mann said.
The Chief Minister also mentioned his efforts to mediate between the Centre and farmers in the past and reiterated his willingness to do so again. “Dallewal sahib’s health cannot be compromised. His presence is essential to the farmers’ fight for justice. I urge the Centre to resume talks,” he added.
Emergency Measures at Khanauri
In response to the Supreme Court’s concerns, Mann announced that his government had converted a hotel at Khanauri into a makeshift hospital, deploying 50 doctors to provide medical aid. He also emphasized that there was no violence or tension at the protest site.
