Dallewal calls off 131-day fast, vows to put up stronger fight

Veteran farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Sunday ended his 131-day fast following fervent appeals from farmers gathered at a mahapanchayat at Sirhind grain market. Dallewal had been on a hunger strike since November 26 last year to press for various demands of the farmers, including a legal guarantee on MSP for all crops.

A day earlier, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had urged Dallewal to end his fast. Sources said retired DIG Narinder Bhargav also played a key role in convincing the veteran leader.

While announcing the end of his fast, Dallewal asserted that despite the Centre and Punjab Government’s “coercive” actions, including dismantling protest sites at Khanauri and Shambhu, damaging tractor-trailers and confiscating activists’ belongings, the movement would continue with renewed determination.

He emphasised that his decision to break the fast was conditional upon farmers’ unwavering support until all demands were met. “I want an assurance that we will have to put up a stronger morcha. The fight is on. The MSP (guarantee) has to be taken and a bigger morcha has to be put up. Do you agree,” he asked the gathering.

“It is not my wish (to end fast) but with a heavy heart, I accept your order. For me, the word of the sangat is God’s word,” he said.  Dallewal accused both governments of “cowardice and betrayal”, referring to an alleged plot to detain him after a meeting in Chandigarh. “They can suppress us but never silence us,” he vowed.

Dallewal’s frail health had earlier drawn the attention of the Supreme Court, which had put the onus on the Punjab Government to decide on his hospitalisation.

Meanwhile, the authorities had made a heavy police deployment and kept an ambulance on standby at Sirhind grain market on Sunday. Dallewal was taken to the local Civil Hospital for medical evaluation after concluding his fast.

Farmer leaders Kaka Singh Kotra and Abhimanyu Kohar criticised CM Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of colluding with the Centre to dismantle protests. They highlighted partial victories, including securing MSP for seven crops, a Rs 20 increase in sugarcane prices and stricter laws against spurious fertilisers, but vowed to continue fighting for legal MSP guarantee on 23 crops. They urged Dallewal to regain his strength and lead the farmers’ struggle.

Later in the day, Dallewal and fellow farmers paid obeisance at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib, where head granthi Harpal Singh performed “ardas”. Dallewal then partook of “kadah parsad”, marking the formal end of his fast.

Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu welcomed Dallewal’s decision, calling it a positive step.

Dallewal, who is the president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), hails from Dallewal village in Faridkot.  Be it inadequate compensation for the acquisition of farmland, pending payment of farmers or cases of farmers’ suicides, Dallewal has been at the forefront of raising these issues.

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