Hunger Strike at the Border: Jagjit Singh Dallewal's Desperate Demand for Farmers' Rights

Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has endured a 21-day hunger strike at the border of Punjab and Haryana, demanding justice for farmers. Despite deteriorating health and doctors recommending hospitalization, Dallewal remains steadfast, pressing for a legal guarantee of minimum support prices among other demands from the central government.

Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's unyielding hunger strike has reached its 21st day at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana. Despite doctors' urgent recommendation for his hospitalization due to deteriorating health, the 70-year-old, who is also battling cancer, refuses medical treatment. His protest aims to push the central government into action regarding a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, amongst other farmers' demands.

Medical reports indicate a worrying rise in Dallewal’s creatinine levels and a decrease in his glomerular filtration rate, signaling worsening health. Supported solely by water, Dallewal has become so weak that he requires assistance to stand. Doctors, including oncologist Dr. Karan Jatwani, have installed medical equipment on-site to monitor his vitals.

Dallewal, a seasoned protester and president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), claims his struggle is a matter of life and death for farmers across the nation—a call for addressing farmer suicides due to governmental policies. He vows to continue fasting unless the Centre addresses their demands, underscoring the fight as a larger struggle for the rights and dignity of India's farming community.

(With inputs from agencies.)