Farmers’ protest: SC grants Punjab govt time to persuade Dallewal to accept medical aid

The Supreme Court on Tuesday accepted the Punjab government’s request and allowed additional time for the state to persuade farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal to take medical aid. The apex court will next hear the case on Thursday.

Hearing a contempt petition against the Punjab government, a vacation bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia granted the Punjab government’s request for additional time to persuade the farmer leader to accept medical aid. Farmer leader Dallewal, who is a cancer patient, is on indefinite hunger strike urging the Centre to fulfil farmers’ demands. 

Punjab Advocate General Gurwinder Singh informed the bench that intervenors met with protesting farmer leaders and tried to persuade them. Singh said farmer leaders have proposed that Dallewal will take medical help if the Centre invites them for talks.

Justice Kant said, “We will not comment on what is going on, about negotiations...If something happens which is acceptable to all sides, we are equally happy. As of now, we are only concerned with the compliance of our orders," Live Law reported. 

The apex court had directed the Punjab government to ensure medical aid is being provided to ailing farmer leader Dallewal who is on an indefinite hunger strike demanding the Centre to fulfil farmers’ demands. Following the apex court’s directions, Punjab police chief Gaurav Yadav and a Union home ministry official met Dallewal at the protest site and heard his concerns.  

During an earlier hearing on the contempt petition, the bench rapped the Punjab government for not doing enough to provide medical aid to Dallewal. The bench said those who are not allowing Dallewal to be taken to the hospital are involved in the criminal offence of abetment to suicide.   "Are they interested in his life or something else? We don't want to say much and only hope that the Punjab government will comply with our directions," the bench said.