North India Statesman
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New Delhi: Farmers are agitating for various demands including giving legal status to Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. It has been 38 days since farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s fast unto death on this issue and his health is continuously deteriorating, the Supreme Court has urged the Central Government to consider the genuine complaints of the farmers. On the other hand, on the issue of Dallewal’s fast unto death, the Supreme Court took a stand against the Punjab government and farmer leaders and said that the court never directed Dallewal to end his fast.
Farmers of Punjab are once again sitting on strike for 38 days demanding legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops. Farmer leader Jagjit Singh has gone on a fast unto death on this issue and the Supreme Court, concerned about his health, has asked him to provide immediate medical assistance. However, at such a time, the bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjwal Bhuyan, while hearing the petition of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, asked the Center to seriously consider the genuine complaints of the farmers.
The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the Central Government as to why it is not saying that its doors are open to hear the genuine grievances of the protesting farmers on various demands, including legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops. The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central Government, why the Central Government has not yet given a statement that it is ready to discuss the genuine complaints of the farmers. The bench said that the court is not aware of the importance of various factors in relation to the farmers’ demand. So right now we are limited to the issue of deteriorating health of one person. The central government should be concerned about all the farmers.
On the other hand, Gurinder Kaur Gill, who filed a new petition against Dallewal, was asked by the Supreme Court not to adopt a confrontational approach on this issue. The bench said that on various such issues, a high level committee has been constituted by the Supreme Court under the chairmanship of a retired High Court judge.
Gill said that the issue of legal guarantee on crop support price has been resolved in 2021 itself. The Central Government made it clear in the last two-three lines of its proposal that the Central Government gives guarantees. On this basis the farmers withdrew the movement. Now the government cannot step back. Meanwhile, on the issue of Dallewal’s fast unto death, the Supreme Court had taken a stand against some Punjab government officials and farmer leaders. The Supreme Court said that the court never directed Dallewal to end his fast unto death. The court was only concerned about Dallewal’s health and ordered that he be provided immediate medical care. Dallewal can continue his hunger strike under the medical aid and supervision of doctors. On the issue of Jagjit Dallewal’s fast unto death, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said on Thursday that how long the farmers’ protest will continue depends on the central government. Since the parliamentary panel has recommended legislative guarantees for MSP, the Center should have no hesitation in accepting their demands. Dallewal has risked his life by fasting unto death for the farmers. His health is deteriorating day by day.
Trying to implement Centre’s decision to repeal agricultural law in the name of ‘policy’: Kejriwal
New Delhi: The health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is fasting unto death on the issue of minimum support price for crops, has deteriorated. Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday claimed that the central government is responsible for whatever is happening to the agitating farmers in Punjab. Kejriwal posted on X and said that the central government is preparing to implement the three agricultural laws that were repealed due to the farmers’ movement through the back door in the name of ‘policy’. Copies of the Centre’s new ‘policy’ have been sent to all the states to seek their opinions. The AAP-led Punjab government has termed the draft ‘National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing’ as a backdoor implementation of the three central farm laws passed in 2020. Even though farmers in Punjab have gone on a fast unto death, BJP is not ready to talk to them due to its arrogance.
