‘Initiate talks to end deadlock’: Farmer unions urge Centre
‘Initiate talks to end deadlock’: Farmer unions urge Centre
M.U.H
01/01/202536
The protesting farm unions, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, on Tuesday urged the Centre to initiate talks to end the stalemate.
Their reaction came on a day when the Supreme Court extended time till January 2 for the Punjab government to comply with its order to hospitalise Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been sitting on fast since November 26.
Senior farmer leader Kaka Singh Kotra said that it was high time that the Union government broke its silence on the stir and started a dialogue.
“If the Union government doesn’t want to break the stalemate over the ongoing protest, how can Dallewal think of receiving medical aid? We are ready for talks but the (Union) government isn’t. They don’t seem to be interested,” Kotra said.
He claimed that neither protesting farmer unions nor the Punjab government are a party in the ongoing case.
“We have nothing to do with the ongoing case (in Supreme Court). Our fight is with the Union government. They have to implement our demand of legal guarantee to the Minimum Support Price (MSP),” he added.
Punjab government officials have held multiple parley with Dallewal over the past weeks in an effort to convince him to start taking medical aid but to no avail.
Meanwhile, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 32 farm unions, also urged the Centre to intervene and make sure that fasting farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s life is saved.
According to Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakounda) general secretary Jagmohan Singh, “Instead of pushing onus on Punjab government, the Centre should be issued direction to hear and redress the grievances of the farmers. We think that Centre should act now to save Dallewal’s life,” Dakounda said.
SKM have not been part of the ongoing stir although all the farm unions have been raising similar demands.
“If the SC has given time, the Government of India should come forward and resolve the matter,” said Raminder Singh Patiala, vice-president of Kirti Kisan Union. Prem Singh Bhangu president, All-India Kisan Federation, a constituent of SKM, said that the matter is being prolonged and efforts are not being made to find a solution.
Dallewal's health deteriorates further
Addressing the media at Khanauri, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said that Dallewal’s health has deteriorated further and his blood pressure (BP) was fluctuating. Punjab government doctors attending Dallewal said the BP systolic value was 101 while the diastolic value was 74. A normal blood pressure for most adults is 120/80.
The latest blood test report, seen by HT, revealed that blood ketone level was recorded at 6.9 mmol/L while the normal value should be between 0 to 0.6. Doctors said it was an indication of acute starvation.
