Never Directed Ending Farm Leader's Hunger Strike: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that it has never directed to end the hunger strike of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast unto death, but is only concerned with his health.

"There appears to be a deliberate attempt in the entire media where state government officers (of Punjab) are trying to create an impression that there is a persuasion by this court to Mr. Dallewal to break his fast. Our directions were not to break his fast. We only said that let his health be taken care of and he can continue his peaceful protest even when he is hospitalised," a Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant told Punjab's Advocate General (AG) Gurminder Singh.

The Bench, also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, said that shifting Mr Dallewal to the hospital should not mean that he will not continue his fast but the medical facilities which will ensure that no harm is caused to his life.

In response, AG Gurminder Singh submitted that the state government officials tried to convince Mr Dallewal to take medical aid in terms of the top court order.

However, Mr Dallewal remained firm that he would take medical aid only if the Union government was ready for talks.

At this, the Justice Kant-led Bench remarked, "Please don't force us to say many things. Your attitude is that there should be no reconciliation. That is the whole problem".

Further, the top court expressed anguish at the "irresponsible statements" being made by "so-called farmers leaders to complicate things".

It cautioned that if the Punjab government keeps failing to implement its order regarding hospitalisation of Mr Dallewal, the top court will seek intervention of the Centre.

The 70-year-old cancer patient has been fasting at Khanauri, the border point between Punjab and Haryana, since November 26 in support of their long-pending demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, loan waiver and reforms to improve conditions in the agricultural sector.

The matter will be heard next on January 6.

On Tuesday, the top court deferred till January 2 the hearing on a contempt plea seeking action against the Chief Secretary of Punjab over non-hospitalisation of Mr Dallewal.

In that hearing, the Punjab government sought additional time to comply with its December 20 decision, where it was directed to ensure the stable health condition of Mr Dallewal.

"It is entirely the responsibility of the State of Punjab to ensure the stable health condition of Mr Jagjit Singh Dallewal, for which if he requires hospitalisation, the authorities must ensure to do so. The State Government, therefore, will take a call as to whether Mr Dallewal can be shifted to the makeshift hospital (temporary hospital, which is said to have been set up at a distance of 700 metres from the site) or to any other well-equipped hospital," the top court had ordered.

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