The Supreme Court on Wednesday (January 22, 2025) recorded a submission by the Punjab government that farmers’ leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has accepted medical aid and shifted to a makeshift hospital 50m from the protest site at Khanauri border after meeting with a high-level delegation from the Union government.
Terming the development “positive”, a Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant also took on record Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh’s submission that farmers have agreed to meet for talks with the Centre and other authorities scheduled for February 14, 2025 in Chandigarh.
Mr. Singh said over 110 other farmers’ leaders, also on hunger strike along with Mr. Dallewal, have broken their fast.
The Bench advised Mr. Dallewal to reach Chandigarh two days before the scheduled talks and consult about his health with specialist doctors at the PGI Chandigarh so that he could effectively participate in the meeting.
The court ordered the contempt action against Punjab Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to be kept in abeyance and dispensed with their personal appearance through videoconferencing. The contempt action was initiated following their inability to convince Mr. Dallewal to access medical aid despite repeated apex court orders.
The court listed the case again for the end of February.
“We hope stakeholders participate and take decisions which would benefit national interest,” Justice Kant remarked.
The farmers are demanding the enactment of a law that ensures a guaranteed minimum price for crops. They argue that a legal guarantee would protect their income and stabilise the agricultural market. Farmers have been camped at Shambhu and Kanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana ever since their march to Delhi was stopped in February 2024.
In previous hearings, the court had separately questioned the Centre’s persisting reluctance to come out with a statement that its “doors are open” to consider the “genuine grievances” of the protesting farmers.
