Ensure immediate medical assistance to fasting farmer leader, SC tells Punjab govt

New Delhi, Dec 19 The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Punjab government to ensure immediate medical assistance and checkup for farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on fast unto death.

The 70-year-old cancer patient Dallewal has been fasting at Khanauri, the border point between Punjab and Haryana, since November 26 in support of their long-pending demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops, loan waiver and reforms to improve conditions in the agricultural sector.

A bench headed by Justice Surya Kant reiterated that Dallewal should be first given medical aid and his health condition inquired.

In response, Punjab’s Advocate General said that a temporary hospital has been created near the protest site but Dallewal has refused to undergo medical examination.

The apex court told the state government to persuade Dallewal to take medical assistance for a week at least while others could continue with the protest.

The matter will be heard next on Friday, when the Advocate General of Punjab will furnish medical reports of Dallewal to the top court.

On Wednesday, the Justice Kant-led Bench said that protesting farmers are free to put their grievances directly before the apex court after it was told that the farmer leaders did not attend the meeting with the court-appointed panel.

Remarking that the court's doors are always open, it said that farmers can put forth their demands directly before the top court or through their authorised representative.

The Bench, also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, expressed concern over the deteriorating health of Dallewal and stressed that the Punjab government should take care of his health.

On Sunday, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, along with Union Ministry of Home Affairs Director, Mayank Mishra met farmer leader Dallewal on the Supreme Court's directive.

This has been the first meeting between the Union government and a farm leader since talks with farmers remained inconclusive in February. Last week, the top court refused to entertain a fresh plea seeking directions to immediately clear the blockage of national as well as state highways in Punjab, which "alleged farmers and farmer unions" have blocked permanently for an indefinite period.

"Why are you filing repeated petitions? We are already seized of the matter and have already taken some initiatives. There is no question of repeated petitions," Justice Kant-led Bench told the PIL litigant.

"In pending PIL, we never say ‘no’ to any counsel. You assist us on the fixed date, we will see what orders could be passed on the opening of highways," the apex court said.

Saying that no fresh petition should be entertained on the same subject matter, it proceeded to dismiss the fresh plea but granted liberty to the petitioner’s counsel to assist in the pending matter relating to the "larger public interest issue".

In September, the Supreme Court had ordered the formation of a committee to amicably resolve the grievances of the farmers protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border. It had suggested the panel headed by Justice Nawab Singh, a former judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court, to hold negotiations with the protesting farmers for the removal of their tractors, trolleys, etc from the national highway for ease of the general public.

Further, the apex court had granted liberty to farmers to shift their peaceful protests to an alternative site.

Apart from Justice Nawab Singh, the panel comprised former Haryana DGP B.S. Sandhu, agricultural analyst Devender Sharma, Prof Ranjit Singh Ghuman, agricultural economist Dr Sukhpal Singh, and Prof Baldev Raj Kamboj as a special invitee.

--IANS

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