CHANDIGARH: The prominent farmer leader, 70-year-old Jagjit Singh Dallewal, was detained and taken away by the Punjab Police in the wee hours from the Khanauri border in Sangrur district.
He was to begin a fast unto death from today to press for farmers' demands including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher claimed farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) was forcibly taken away by police from the Khanauri border point. He alleged that the police entered the tent (pendal) at around 2.30 am and detained Dallewal who was preparing to start a hunger strike.
Condemning the police action, Pandher demanded Dallewal's immediate release.
The farmer leaders further alleged that the tent was also vandalized. The Patiala Police took him to the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) because of his age and health issues.
Dallewal had yesterday announced that he would begin a fast unto death on Tuesday to demand a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops. He had also asserted that he was ready to sacrifice his life to get the farmers' demands accepted.
Both the farmer unions Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had earlier announced plans to intensify their agitation in support of farmers' various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP, by starting a fast unto death.
The farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and the Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by the police.
The farmers have accused the union government of not taking steps to address their demands, stating that it had not held any talks with them regarding their issues since February 18.
Besides a legal guarantee for MSP, the farmers are demanding implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
A senior police official on condition of anonymity said that the police had not detained Dallewal ahead of his call for a hunger strike but he was admitted to the hospital due to his age and medical condition. "The action was taken in the wee hours and the farmer union leader was taken to hospital,’’ he added.
Reacting to the development, Union Minister of State for Railways, Ravneet Singh Bittu wrote on X, "Detention of Farmer Leader Dallewal ji is orchestrated by the Bhagwant Mann government. No central agency is involved in his arrest. It is purely the work of the state police, aimed at shifting the blame onto central agencies to divert attention from the real issue. The central government always works for the welfare of farmers and does not engage in such tactics.’’