As court deadline nears, Dallewal continues fast

With less than 48 hours left in the December 31 deadline for the Punjab government to comply with the Supreme Court's directive to persuade farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose indefinite hunger strike entered its 34th day on Sunday, to accept medical aid, no breakthrough could be achieved till late in the night despite intensified efforts by the state government.

- Karam Prakash

Farmers, primarily from Punjab, have been protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border to press the Centre for several demands, including a legal guarantee for a minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Protesting farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13, after their "Chalo Delhi" march was stopped by security forces.

A delegation, led by the retired additional director general of police (ADGP) Jaskaran Singh, met Dallewal (70), on Sunday evening, in an attempt to convince him to accept medical aid. It, however, went in vain. Late in the night, Singh alone met Dallewal and made another attempt, but to no avail.

Senior police officers told HT they had already conveyed the Supreme Court's orders to Dallewal, requesting him to prioritize his health. "We can only request him (Dallewal) to understand the gravity of the situation. Despite repeated attempts, we couldn't make any breakthrough so far," a senior police officer involved in the negotiations said, requesting anonymity.