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Movement

121 Punjab Farmers End Fast After Centre’s Invite for Talks, Dallewal Agrees to Medical Aid

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) also postponed its planned protests outside the offices and residences of BJP MPs and senior leaders scheduled for January 20.

121 Punjab Farmers End Fast After Centre’s Invite for Talks, Dallewal Agrees to Medical Aid

Fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. Image: X/@NeelkamalTOI

A day after fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal agreed to receive medical aid following a delegation from the Centre inviting protesting farmers for talks next month, 121 farmers who had been on an indefinite hunger strike at Khanauri since January 15 ended their fast on Sunday (January 19).

In a development, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the force in the 2020 farmers’ agitation, also postponed its planned protests outside the offices and residences of BJP MPs and senior leaders scheduled for January 20.

The SKM has planned a general body meeting in Delhi on January 24 to promote unity among protesting farmer unions. If these efforts succeed, six representatives each from SKM (Non-Political), KMM, and SKM are expected to participate in the talks with the Centre.

Meanwhile, Dallewal’s SKM (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), which met the central delegation led by Union Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan on Saturday, stated they would decide on Monday whether to proceed with sending a fourth group of 101 farmers to the Shambhu border on January 22.

Previous attempts by farmers to cross into Haryana from Punjab have been thwarted by the Haryana administration. Dallewal, who began his hunger strike on November 26 at the Khanauri border in support of farmers’ demands for a legal guarantee on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, agreed to intravenous fluids after Saturday’s meeting but insisted he would not end his fast until their demands were addressed.

A Punjab government official visiting Khanauri noted a reduction in tension at the border following the developments, reported The Indian Express.

“Dallewal has started taking medical assistance while the 121 farmers have ended the hunger strike. The immense stress at the Khanauri border point has reduced since the farmers used to remain worried about health of Dallewal and the others who were on fast. Sunday came as a relief day after weeks,” the official told the newspaper.

The Centre has scheduled a meeting with farmers in Chandigarh for February 14. Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian welcomed the decision to resume talks but urged the Centre to advance the date, citing Dallewal’s precarious health. 

He also reiterated his support for farmers’ demands in prior communications with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The KMM and SKM (Non-Political) will meet Monday to decide on sending the fourth group of farmers to march towards Delhi from the Shambhu border on January 22, a plan announced earlier this month. Three previous attempts on December 6, 8, and 14 were blocked by Haryana authorities.

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