The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and the Punjab government to ensure necessary medical aid to the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast-unto-death at the Khanouri border in support of farmers agitating for a legal guarantee on minimum support price for crops.

Asking the authorities to engage in direct dialogue with Dallewal, a bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said, “His life is more precious than any agitation,” adding that a person who is providing leadership and statesmanship to the farmers must be protected. The court urged the authorities to take immediate steps.

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However, the bench made it clear that force should not be used to compel him to eat food.

Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death since November 26 as part of the protests against the central government in support of farmers’ demand for statutory backing of the minimum support price for crops.

“During the hearing, the court was apprised that the health condition of Mr Dallewal was worsening due to his fast-unto-death. It is the bounden duty of the State of Punjab and the Union to take all peaceful measures to grant medical aid to Mr Dallewal, and not force him to eat unless it is imperative to save him,” the bench said.

The Punjab government persuaded the bench not to direct the shifting of Dallewal to hospital, contending that such a direction may create problems and assured that the needful would be done even without any such specific direction.

The top court also asked the high-powered committee, constituted to resolve the grievances of farmers agitating at the Shambhu border, to convince the farmers to either shift the protesting venue or temporarily pause it to clear the national highway for smooth movement of traffic.

The bench said that the high-powered committee has made a strong recommendation against the use of any force on farmers. Both the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta and Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh agreed with the committee’s suggestion to persuade the protesters to remain on a peaceful course.

Stating, “Let it (protest) go the Gandhian way,” the bench asked the high-powered committee and the lawyers representing the Centre and Punjab to advise the agitating farmers to maintain peace.

The top court was hearing an appeal by the Haryana government against the July 10, 2024, Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing it to open the highway and clear the barricading within seven days.

In February, the Haryana government had set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi national highway after farmers’ bodies announced that they would march to Delhi in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

The court posted the matter for hearing on December 17.