SC questions Centre, slams Punjab on Dallewal's health

The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Union government for its lack of assurances to protesting farmers demanding systemic agricultural reforms and legal guarantees for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

- Utkarsh Anand

At the same time, the court reprimanded the Punjab government for failing to hospitalise farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for 37 days, despite deteriorating health and medical advice.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan also issued notice to the Centre on a fresh petition filed by advocate Guninder Kaur Gill, who, acting as Dallewal's representative, sought directions for the Union government to honour its previous proposals for MSP guarantees and other reforms.

The Thursday hearing witnessed both the Union and Punjab governments coming under fire from the top court for their inaction in addressing the prolonged hunger strike of Dallewal and the farmers' protest along the Punjab-Haryana border points since February last year.

Expressing displeasure at the Centre's reluctance to engage with the farmers, the bench told solicitor general Tushar Mehta: "Why can't your client make a statement that you would address their genuine grievances?"

Mehta, representing the Centre as well as the Haryana government in the matter, responded that there are committees - one formed by the top court and another by the Centre, to look into various issues.

But the bench retorted: "But why can't the central government also make a statement because that could defuse the situation." While Mehta said that the immediate concern was to save Dallewal's life, the court countered that the issues were interconnected and urged the Centre to demonstrate willingness for dialogue. "It is linked (Dallewal's fast unto death). You should come forward and make a statement," it told the SG.

The bench also addressed the Punjab government, calling out its ineffective handling of Dallewal's hospitalisation. The state government faced sharper criticism for its failure to hospitalise Dallewal.