CHANDIGARH, Jan 4: Punjab Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on Saturday requested Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to personally intervene and encourage the Centre to engage in discussions with the protesting farmers to resolve the ongoing stalemate.
He informed Chouhan that farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 40 days at the Khanauri protest site in Punjab.
Khuddian urged Chouhan, as the Union agriculture minister, to take a personal interest in the situation.
During a pre-budget meeting on Saturday, Chouhan was addressing agriculture ministers from various states. Khuddian participated via video conferencing and brought attention to the issues faced by the protesting farmers.
As Punjab’s Agriculture Minister, Khuddian also mentioned Chouhan’s prior role as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
He expressed that states have high expectations from the Centre and hoped that Chouhan would make a personal intervention to assist in the current situation.
Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal continues his indefinite hunger strike for 40 days, advocating for a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops, among other demands.
Farmers, increasingly at odds with the BJP-led Centre over their demands, had organized a “Kisan Mahapanchayat” at Khanauri last week.
Under the banners of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, farmers have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after their march to Delhi was halted by law enforcement.
Dallewal (70) has consistently declined medical assistance despite his extended fasting, leading to a decline in his health.
When asked about the possibility of talks with the protesting farmers to resolve the deadlock, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated on Wednesday that the government would act according to the Supreme Court’s directives regarding the ongoing farmers’ protest at the Punjab-Haryana border.
According to farmer leaders, Dallewal has not consumed food during his fast and is surviving solely on water. (PTI)
