Punjab: Farmers said they are waiting for a concrete proposal from the Center

Punjab: Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar on Thursday said it depends on the Centre how long their protest will continue and they will clarify their stand only after getting a concrete proposal from the central government on their demands. The farmers have been protesting at Punjab’s Shambhu and Khanauri borders with Haryana since February last year, demanding a law guaranteeing minimum support price for their crops and loan waiver. The protest is led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, umbrella bodies of farmer and labour groups. The farmer groups have been camping at the border points since February 13 last year, when their march towards the national capital was blocked. Asked whether farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal – whose indefinite fast to pressurise the Centre to accept their demands has entered the 38th day – would take medical aid, Kohar said no such discussion took place with the Punjab government-appointed panel on Wednesday. The statement came on a day the Supreme Court fixed January 6 as the date for hearing on the Punjab government counsel’s plea to provide medical treatment to Dallewal. Kohar said they will study the court’s directions and talk to Dallewal before making any statement in this regard. The state government had constituted the panel, led by former additional DGP Jaskaran Singh, to persuade Dallewal to end his fast. The apex court had on December 20 ordered his hospitalisation, expressing concern over his deteriorating health. Speaking about Dallewal’s health condition, Kohar said his condition is “very critical” as he has lost weight. He said his blood pressure is fluctuating while other health parameters like kidney and liver have also been adversely affected due to prolonged fasting. Meanwhile, farmer leader Lakhwinder Singh Aulakh said a group of farmers from Tamil Nadu led by PR Pandian and another group from Karnataka reached the Khanauri border point today to extend their support to the agitation. Pandian said they have been protesting in their state for the past several days in support of Dallewal’s hunger strike.

Dosanjh asked to clarify his stand on farm issues

Singer Diljit Dosanjh’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked a controversy, with farmer leaders seeking clarification from him to clarify his stand on farm issues. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, “Dosanjh should clarify whether he has raised the issue of farmers’ protest with the Prime Minister. Punjab has given him a lot of love. We hoped that he would raise the farmers’ issue with the Prime Minister.”