Amid the ongoing protests at the Punjab-Haryana borders, the farmers have now announced to hold a Kisan Mahapanchayat in Khanauri on Saturday, January 4, 2024. During the panchayat, farmers from all over the country will participate.
Notably, the forums and their leaders will hold the Mahapanchayat as a mark of protest against the center, with their demands for a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, said farm leader Abhimanyu Kohar.
While addressing the press conference, farm leader Kohar also said that it is farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal who wanted to meet farmers from across the nation. This is because he had been fighting for their rights for nearly four decades.
“Both the forums, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), respecting the desire of Dallewal, have announced Mahapanchayat. Farmers from across the country will participate in the Mahapanchayat on January 4, and Dallewal will address them,” Kohar added.
Supreme Court’s Action on the Matter
The decision has come after the supreme court pulled the protesting farmers and objected to the Punjab government to hospitalize the farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Saturday, December 28, 2024. The court also lashed out at the state government for their failure to shift Dallewal to the hospital, who has gone without food for over 34 days.
While Dallewal said that the apex court should issue the directions to the Union government and not to the state government.
After the hearing in the apex court about the contempt case against the Punjab government, the farmer leader said, “I was shocked when the supreme court, while making an observation against the Punjab government’s plea of issuing directions to the Union government, said that they won’t talk with any such pre-condition. For once I thought these words are coming from the Union government, but I was surprised that it was the apex court that made this statement.”
He further clarified that the fight was against the Union government and not with the Punjab government.
Punjab Government’s Response to Supreme Court
The Punjab Government has expressed their helplessness over the matter, stating that it is facing huge resistance from the protesting farmers who have encircled Dallewal and are preventing him from being taken to the hospital.
Meanwhile, the court termed the conduct of some farmer leaders accompanying Dallewal questionable. To which Dallewal said in a video message, “I am sitting on a fast. Who gave this report to the Supreme Court and who spread this misconception that I have been kept hostage? where did such a thing come from?
Seven lakh farmers of this country have taken their lives due to debt. To save farmers is necessary, therefore, I am sitting here. I am not under anyone’s pressure.” He added.
Further in his message, Dallewal also requested the apex court to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee of the MSP.
Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s Health Update
Meanwhile, Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh said that a medical board was constituted along with a team of eight doctors who were monitoring the health of Dallewal. The advocate further also told that efforts are also made to persuade the farmer leader.
Kanishka Malhotra is a seasoned journalist with a deep passion for reporting and uncovering the truth. With a specialization in research and investigative Journalism, she has covered wide range of topics related to social issues, travel, lifestyle, technology, Entertainment and much more. She believes to express and share her creativity to the world through words. With relentless pursuit of knowing and uncovering the truth, Kanishka continues to leave a mark in the world of journalism.
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