Centre to meet farmers on Feb 14; Dallewal accepts medical aid
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Chandigarh: The Centre has scheduled a meeting with Punjab’s protesting farmers on February 14 in Chandigarh to address their demands, ending the deadlock over dialogue. Farmers have been demanding a legal guarantee on crops' Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Following the announcement of the meeting, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a fast-unto-death for 54 days, agreed to receive medical aid. However, Dallewal has reiterated his decision to continue his indefinite fast until the farmers' demands are met, according to fellow leader Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande. A decision on whether the fast of 121 other farmers is expected to end on Sunday.
The delay in scheduling the talks was attributed to the model code of conduct in Delhi, which remains in force until February 9, and the upcoming budget session. The February 14 date also allows Dallewal time to recover sufficiently to participate in the meeting.
Farmer leaders expressed concern over Dallewal’s health, describing it as critical. He has reportedly been vomiting continuously for the last 72 hours. In response, the protesting farmers unanimously appealed for him to accept medical intervention, warning that if he refused, they would all gather outside his trolley and join him in a fast.
The breakthrough was achieved after a delegation from the Union Agriculture Ministry, led by Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan, met Dallewal and representatives of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, which have been spearheading the agitation for the past 11 months.
The delegation, during a visit to the Khanauri protest site, urged Dallewal to take medical aid and assured the farmers that the meeting would be held as scheduled at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Chandigarh at 5 p.m. on February 14.
Speaking to reporters, Ranjan emphasized the Centre’s concern for Dallewal’s deteriorating health and reiterated the importance of his participation in the meeting. "We enquired about his health and held discussions with the representatives of the protesting farmer bodies," he said.
Farmer leaders also appealed to Dallewal to take medical intervention to ensure his presence in the proposed deliberations.
"We urged him (Dallewal) to break his fast and take medical aid so that he can participate in the meeting," Ranjan said, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to constructive dialogue.
With IANS inputs