Police Picks Up Farmer Leader Dallewal Before his Hunger Strike

On 26 Nov, at 2:30 am, Panjab police picked up senior farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal ahead of his planned indefinite fast-unto-death protest at the Khanauri border in Panjab’s Sangrur district. Dallewal, coordinator of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), had announced he would begin his hunger strike on 26 Nov, the fourth anniversary of the Farmers’ Protest 1.0 and India’s Constitution Day. The demand is for legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. Police took Dallewal to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) in Ludhiana for medical check-up. Since his detention, Dallewal has refused to eat or drink which implies he has started his hunger strike. Dallewal has been kept in the emergency ward and the hospital has been turned into a garrison with a large number of policemen deployed both outside and inside the hospital. No one is allowed to meet the farmer leader as he has been kept under strict medical observation. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Dr. Nanak Singh said, ‘Dallewal was not detained but admitted to DMCH due to age and health issues, noting he is a cancer patient.’ A large number of activists have converged at Khanauri border between Panjab and Haryana. Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu claimed the detention was orchestrated by the CM Mann govt., denying any involvement of the Union govt. SKM (NP) and its ally Kisan Mazdoor Morcha reiterated their plan to march towards Delhi from the Shambhu border on 6 Dec. Farmers have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since 13 Feb after being halted from advancing to Delhi (SDW Vol 2, Issue 47, Story 1).