The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition on Thursday regarding the hospitalization of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite fast for over a month. The plea, seeking contempt action against the Punjab government for allegedly failing to comply with the court’s previous orders, will be reviewed by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan.
Dallewal, aged 70, has been fasting at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since November 26, demanding the Centre’s agreement on several issues, including a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP) for crops. The farmer leader’s condition has deteriorated during the prolonged fast, prompting the court’s intervention.
On December 28, the Supreme Court had expressed dissatisfaction with the Punjab government’s handling of the situation, criticizing its failure to move Dallewal to a hospital despite the urgency of his condition. The court also voiced concerns over the resistance from protesting farmers, who reportedly encircled Dallewal to prevent his hospitalization.
However, on January 1, Punjab’s advocate general Gurminder Singh informed the court that Dallewal had agreed to receive medical aid after the Centre responded positively to his proposal for talks. This development led to a request from the Punjab government for an additional three days to comply with the Supreme Court’s earlier order regarding Dallewal’s medical treatment.
The Supreme Court, while refraining from commenting on the ongoing negotiations or law and order matters, expressed its inclination to grant extra time under the current circumstances. The bench emphasized that its primary concern was ensuring the compliance of its orders, which it intends to follow up on during the hearing scheduled for January 2.
