NEW DELHI, Dec 2: On Monday, the Supreme Court urged Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is currently on a hunger strike at the Khanauri border to advocate for farmers’ demands, to instruct the protesting farmers to refrain from blocking highways and causing public disruption.
A panel comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan dismissed a habeas corpus petition submitted on behalf of Dallewal, who had been removed from the protest site at the Punjab-Haryana border on November 26.
“We note that he has been released, and he successfully encouraged another protestor to end his own hunger strike on Saturday,” the bench remarked, mentioning that the concerns raised by the farmers have been acknowledged by the court and are part of an ongoing case.
“In a democratic society, peaceful protests are acceptable, but please do not inconvenience the public. It is well known that the Khanauri border serves as a crucial route for Punjab. We refrain from commenting on the validity of the protest,” the bench communicated to advocate Guninder Kaur Gill, who represented Dallewal.
Justice Kant indicated that Dallewal could persuade the protesters to conduct lawful and peaceful demonstrations without causing public hassle.
The court opined that it would not take action on Dallewal’s petition at this point but he may approach it again later.
Prior to initiating his hunger strike on November 26, Dallewal was reportedly forcibly removed from the Khanauri border and taken to a hospital in Ludhiana, from where he was discharged on Friday night.
The petition was filed in the Supreme Court on November 29, contesting his alleged unlawful detention by the Punjab Police.
The day after his release, on November 30, Dallewal resumed his hunger strike at the Khanauri border to demand the farmers’ rights.
Farmers have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, after security forces halted their march to Delhi.
The protesters accuse the Central government of failing to address their demands, asserting that no discussions have occurred since February 18 regarding their issues.
In addition to a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP), farmers are demanding the execution of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pensions for farmers and agricultural workers, debt relief for farmers, the reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, and compensation for families of farmers who passed away during a prior agitation in 2020-21. (Agencies)
