Khanauri, January 4: Veteran farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, on the 39th day of his indefinite hunger strike, has called on farmers to assemble in large numbers at Khanauri on Saturday. The protest, demanding a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, is taking place at the Punjab-Haryana border.
In a video message released Friday, Dallewal appealed for solidarity. “I urge all those supporting this cause to reach Khanauri. I wish to see you all,” he said in the 70-second clip. The gathering coincides with a planned Kisan Mahapanchayat announced earlier by farmer groups.
Protesting under the banners of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, farmers have been camping at Khanauri and Shambhu border points since February last year, after being blocked from marching to Delhi by security forces.
Despite his deteriorating health, the 70-year-old leader has steadfastly refused medical aid. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann confirmed Thursday that a team of government doctors is monitoring his condition, but efforts to convince him to accept treatment have been unsuccessful.
Fellow farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said Dallewal is expected to deliver a brief but significant message at Saturday’s event. “He will speak for two to three minutes to share an important update,” Kohar stated.
Sarwan Singh Pandher, another senior leader coordinating the agitation, criticized the BJP-led central government for its inaction. “The Centre remains unyielding, showing no intention of addressing the issue,” he said.
The protest marks a critical phase in the farmers’ fight for MSP legislation, as tensions persist between the unions and the central government.
