'Morcha will continue': Dallewal ends hunger strike after 19 wks

Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Sunday ended his hunger strike, which he had started on November 26 last year to press for various demands of agitating farmers, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price for crops.

- Press Trust of India

CHANDIGARH: Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Sunday ended his hunger strike, which he had started on November 26 last year to press for various demands of agitating farmers, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price for crops.

The announcement came a day after Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union minister of state for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu appealed to him to end his fast-unto-death. Both said that the central government had held a series of meetings on the demands of farmers and wanted to continue the talks.

Dallewal announced that he was ending his indefinite fast at a Kisan Mahapanchayat organised at the grain market in Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab.

At the same time, he asserted that their fight for the legal guarantee on MSP for crops and other demands continues.

"You all have said (to me) to end the fast-unto-death. For me 'sangat' (people) is 'rabb da roop' (a form of God). I am indebted to you for looking after the agitation the way I had said. I respect your sentiments," said Dallewal, who addressed the gathering from a stretcher.

"The 'morcha' (agitation) continues. Even today I do not want to end the indefinite fast but you have asked me time and again (to end fast) and I respect it.

"But I want to ask you and get an assurance that we will have to put up a stronger 'morcha'. The fight is on. The MSP (guarantee) has to be taken and a bigger 'morcha' has to be put up. Do you agree on holding a bigger 'morcha'," he asked the gathering.