Premium

On day 24 of fast, Dallewal faints; doctors say his life hanging by a thread

Thursday is the 24th day of farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's fast unto death. Dallewal is a cancer patient and doctors have been warning of a multiple-organ failure. 

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal was offered water by the team of doctors after he regained consciousness. (Express Photo)Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal was offered water by the team of doctors after he regained consciousness. (Express Photo)

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal,whose fast-unto-death entered the 24th day Thursday, lost consciousness for a brief period with a doctor attending to him saying that his life is “hanging by a thread”.

“He is at the risk of cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure. His blood pressure dropped. His situation is very sensitive. His life is hanging by a thread right now. Anything can happen at any time,” said Dr Abhiraj.

The doctor, who is part of a team of medical professions from NGO 5 Rivers Heart Association that is is providing medical assistance to Dallewal, said the farmer leader has not had anything for the last 24 days and is only having water. “Right now ketones are on higher side. Because of electrolyte imbalance, he can have cardiac arrest at anytime. His situation is critical,” Dr Abhiraj told reporters at Khanauri.

Story continues below this ad

Dallewal(70), a cancer patient, has been on the fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.

Akrik Singg, a farmer leader at Khanauri said Dallewal’s health condition is worsening.

“Today at around noon, he was taken to the washroom to take a bath. After coming out, he felt uneasy, vomited and fainted,” said Amrik Singh, adding that doctors present at the spot gave him a massage. “He was unconscious for about 10 minutes. The doctors later gave him a sip of water,” he added.

Another farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said Dallewal joined the hearing in the Supreme Court through video conferencing at around 2:20 pm. He remained connected for around 12 -15 minutes but it kept disconnecting intermittently.

Story continues below this ad

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Punjab government to convince Dallewal to undergo health examination. The court also pulled up the Punjab government for not conducting medical tests on Dallewal.

A parliamentary panel on Tuesday had recommended the government implement a legally binding minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce, arguing that such a measure could significantly reduce farmer suicides and provide crucial financial stability.

“We also want to bring to your notice that the issues on which we are agitating are not just our demands but are promises made to us by different governments,” said Kohar while referring to what Dallewal wanted to say.

Late in the evening, a statement issued by SKM (non-political) outlined what Dallewal wanted to tell the Supreme Court. In the statement, Dallewal informed the top court that Thursday was the 24th day of his indefinite hunger strike. “I have learned that you are concerned about my health, and I deeply respect your sentiments…Earlier, only farmers and agricultural labourers demanded the MSP guarantee law, but now even the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has explicitly stated in its report (Volume 1, Point 7, Page 54) that an MSP Guarantee Law should be enacted, as it would greatly benefit farmers, the rural economy, and the nation. This committee, comprising 31 MPs from various political parties, clearly indicates the significance of this law,” said Dallewal.

Story continues below this ad

He requested the top court to direct the Centre to respect the committee’s report and the sentiments of farmers by enacting the MSP guarantee law.

“We would also like to bring to your notice that the issues we are fighting for are not merely demands but promises made to us by various governments:

1. In 2011, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat and chaired the Consumer Affairs Committee, he sent a report to then-Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh recommending that no trader should purchase a farmer’s crop below the government- declared MSP, and a law should be enacted for this. However, after coming to power in 2014, PM Modi has not implemented his own recommendation to date.

2. The Swaminathan Commission, formed to prevent farmer suicides, submitted its report in 2006. The UPA government, in power until 2014, did not implement it. During the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, PM Modi promised to implement the C2+50% formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission to determine MSP. However, after coming to power the central government, in an affidavit to the Supreme Court in 2015, stated that it could not implement the report.

Story continues below this ad

3. In 2018, after a 35-day protest in Cheema Mandi, Punjab, activist Anna Hazare and I undertook an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. At that time, a letter signed by Dr.Jitendra Singh from the Prime Minister’s Office was handed over to us by then-Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, stating that the government would implement the C2+50% formula within three months. However, six years have passed, and the promise remains unfulfilled.

4.During the 2020-2021 farmers’ movement, which lasted 378 days, the Ministry of Agriculture handed us a letter on December 9, 2021, containing written commitments, including ensuring MSP for every farmer, exempting agricultural activities from pollution laws, providing appropriate compensation to the injured in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, discussing the Electricity Bill with farmers before presenting it in Parliament, and withdrawing cases related to the farmers’ agitation. These promises remain unfulfilled to date”.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement
Loading Taboola...
Advertisement