Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal called off the indefinite hunger strike that he launched on November 26 last year when he had demanded that the government fulfil the farmers’ demands, including a legal guarantee of the minimum support price for crops.
“What we are seeing is the beginning of the new era of protesting, and this new era of protesting will continue day and night,” announced Dallewal at a ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ in Sirhind, in Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab. “We (Farmers) are asking you to stop your fast unto death,” he addressed the gathering. You have taken care of the agitation; I am indebted to you. I respect your sentiments. I accept your order.”
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) senor leader was on hunger strike for over four months. He started to receive medical aid in January after talks began but continued to resist food as part of a protest.
Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and minister of state for railways and food processing, Ravneet Singh Bittu made appeals for him to end the hunger strike a day before. Bittu made a video appeal to Dallewal Saturday, saying it was important that his health and leadership were upheld for future farmer and farm labourer struggles.
He added: ‘Yes, In fact, your health is of much more importance and value to the nationals of Punjab because your leadership will be always needed to continue fighting for the farmers, Bittu. He also said that during the recent Lok Sabha session, senior BJP leaders and ministers enquired about Dallewal’s health and wished him well.
Dallewal finally agreed to end his fast after the persistent appeals, along with the emotional requests by other farmers; he had said that he, too, was a part of the farmers’ movement and reaffirmed his commitment to it.
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