The Center has proposed to hold a meeting with protesting farmers in Punjab on February 14 to discuss their demands, including legal MSP, leading to farmer leader Jagjit – Singh Dallewal entered his 55th day of fasting on Sunday and agreed to see a doctor. Ask for help, even if the fast continues.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha farmers’ organizations said in a press statement that Darrewal will go on an indefinite fast until he is given legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for his crops. He said he would not quit. .
The breakthrough came after a delegation of Union agriculture ministry officials led by Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan reached the protest site at 3pm on Saturday and met with Mr Dallewal and other farmer leaders for over three hours. SKM (non-political) and KMM have been spearheading the agitation for the past 11 months after negotiations with the Center failed. They continue to camp at two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border as the Haryana government did not allow them to cross to reach Delhi.
Following the announcement of the February 14 meeting, farmer leaders appealed to Dallewal to receive medical assistance to enable them to participate in the proposed deliberations. The delegation also requested that Mr. Darwal receive medical assistance to enable him to participate in the scheduled conference.
Speaking to the media at the Kanauli protest site, Ranjan said a high-level delegation was sent by the Center keeping in mind Darrewal’s deteriorating health condition. He said Darwal was urged to break his fast and seek medical care so he could attend the meeting.
Initially, farmer leaders suggested that if the central government was really concerned about Dallewal’s health, a meeting should be held in Delhi soon. However, officials said that the code of conduct was framed in view of the Delhi elections and hence the central government could not make any announcement. It was also pointed out to the farmer leaders that the budget will be passed by February 12-13, after which the Center will be in a position to resume talks.
