The Crossbill News Desk
Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the veteran farmer leader who had been on a hunger strike since November 26, 2024, ended his fast on Friday (March 28), marking a crucial development in the ongoing farmers’ protest.
The Punjab government informed the Supreme Court that Dallewal, who leads the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), had accepted water, effectively ending his prolonged strike.
“This is good news. We have always maintained that he is a true farmer leader and has the best interests of the farming community at heart,” remarked Justice Surya Kant as the court took note of the development, Hindustan Times reported.
Dallewal’s hunger strike was part of a larger agitation led by farmers demanding systemic agricultural reforms, legal guarantees for Minimum Support Price (MSP), and debt relief.
Protests, spearheaded by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, had been ongoing at the Punjab-Haryana border since February 2024, escalating into a standoff between protesters and security forces.
The protest initially gained momentum after farmers attempted to march towards Parliament to press their demands. They were halted at border points on February 13, 2024, leading to a prolonged blockade at the Shambhu border. The situation turned violent on February 21, when clashes broke out at the Khanauri border, resulting in injuries to both security personnel and demonstrators. During the violence, 21-year-old protester Shubh Karan Singh lost his life.
The matter reached the Supreme Court after the Haryana government challenged a Punjab and Haryana High Court order that had directed the removal of the blockade.
The apex court had earlier criticized the Punjab government for failing to hospitalize Dallewal despite his deteriorating health and medical advice. Given that Dallewal is a cancer patient, the court had issued contempt notices to the Punjab Chief Secretary and Director General of Police for non-compliance with orders to provide him medical care.
By January, following intervention from farmer unions and negotiations with the government, contempt proceedings were put on hold.
On Friday, Punjab’s Advocate General Gurminder Singh informed the Supreme Court that the highways had been cleared of protesters.
“We successfully cleared the highways on March 19, after which the Haryana government also removed the barricades on their side. The roads are now open, and transportation has resumed normalcy,” he submitted, reported HT.
Expressing satisfaction, the bench emphasized the importance of keeping highways accessible, stating, “Highways are the backbone of economic activities. Additionally, people rely on roads for daily commutes and medical emergencies.”
During the hearing, Singh also urged the bench to take up the report submitted by the high-powered committee (HPC) constituted by the Supreme Court in September 2024 to address farmers’ demands.
The committee, headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Nawab Singh, engaged with various stakeholders, including officials from agriculture and horticulture departments, the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), and NITI Aayog.
The panel’s initial report, submitted in November 2024, warned of a worsening agrarian crisis, with rising indebtedness, declining farm incomes, and environmental challenges, including stubble burning.
It recommended serious consideration of the farmers’ demand for legal backing to MSP while also addressing sustainability concerns in Indian agriculture. A second report, submitted in February 2025, remains pending before the Supreme Court.
The Punjab government informed the Supreme Court that Dallewal, who leads the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), had accepted water, effectively ending his prolonged strike.
“This is good news. We have always maintained that he is a true farmer leader and has the best interests of the farming community at heart,” remarked Justice Surya Kant as the court took note of the development, Hindustan Times reported.
Dallewal’s hunger strike was part of a larger agitation led by farmers demanding systemic agricultural reforms, legal guarantees for Minimum Support Price (MSP), and debt relief.
Protests, spearheaded by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, had been ongoing at the Punjab-Haryana border since February 2024, escalating into a standoff between protesters and security forces.
पंजाब पुलिस के सेवामुक्त अधिकारियों ओर किसान नेताओं ने डालेवाल को पिलाया पानी।
— Sakshi (@sakkshiofficial) March 28, 2025
Jagjit Singh Dallewal drink water ends hunger strike fast unto death. #FarmerProtest2 #farmers #किसानआंदोलन pic.twitter.com/OpfIwkZXpq
The protest initially gained momentum after farmers attempted to march towards Parliament to press their demands. They were halted at border points on February 13, 2024, leading to a prolonged blockade at the Shambhu border. The situation turned violent on February 21, when clashes broke out at the Khanauri border, resulting in injuries to both security personnel and demonstrators. During the violence, 21-year-old protester Shubh Karan Singh lost his life.
The matter reached the Supreme Court after the Haryana government challenged a Punjab and Haryana High Court order that had directed the removal of the blockade.
The apex court had earlier criticized the Punjab government for failing to hospitalize Dallewal despite his deteriorating health and medical advice. Given that Dallewal is a cancer patient, the court had issued contempt notices to the Punjab Chief Secretary and Director General of Police for non-compliance with orders to provide him medical care.
By January, following intervention from farmer unions and negotiations with the government, contempt proceedings were put on hold.
On Friday, Punjab’s Advocate General Gurminder Singh informed the Supreme Court that the highways had been cleared of protesters.
“We successfully cleared the highways on March 19, after which the Haryana government also removed the barricades on their side. The roads are now open, and transportation has resumed normalcy,” he submitted, reported HT.
Expressing satisfaction, the bench emphasized the importance of keeping highways accessible, stating, “Highways are the backbone of economic activities. Additionally, people rely on roads for daily commutes and medical emergencies.”
During the hearing, Singh also urged the bench to take up the report submitted by the high-powered committee (HPC) constituted by the Supreme Court in September 2024 to address farmers’ demands.
The committee, headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice Nawab Singh, engaged with various stakeholders, including officials from agriculture and horticulture departments, the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), and NITI Aayog.
The panel’s initial report, submitted in November 2024, warned of a worsening agrarian crisis, with rising indebtedness, declining farm incomes, and environmental challenges, including stubble burning.
It recommended serious consideration of the farmers’ demand for legal backing to MSP while also addressing sustainability concerns in Indian agriculture. A second report, submitted in February 2025, remains pending before the Supreme Court.
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