Jagjit Singh Dallewal: The Power and Peril of Hunger Strikes

Jagjit Singh Dallewal's fast-unto-death enters its 51st day, part of a historical tradition of hunger strikes for social and political causes. Notable figures like Anna Hazare, Irom Sharmila, and others have utilized this form of protest, with varying outcomes and risks involved.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Chandigarh | Updated: 15-01-2025 22:25 IST | Created: 15-01-2025 22:25 IST
Jagjit Singh Dallewal: The Power and Peril of Hunger Strikes
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  • India

The 51st day of Jagjit Singh Dallewal's fast-unto-death was marked on Wednesday, as he continued his protest demanding a legal guarantee for the minimum support price on crops. Dallewal's actions have drawn attention to the enduring strategy of hunger strikes in socio-political campaigns.

Historically, hunger strikes have been a powerful tool—whether it was Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign in 2011, which lasted 12 days, or Sikh activist Darshan Singh Pheruman, who died after a 74-day fast in 1969 striving for Punjab's territorial claims, each protest reflected deep-rooted issues.

Other notable hunger strikers include Irom Sharmila, who spent 16 years advocating against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Master Tara Singh's 48-day action for a Punjabi-speaking state, and Surat Singh Khalsa's prolonged stint from 2015 to 2023 for Sikh prisoners' release. These examples highlight both the commitment and the peril inherent in this form of activism.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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