Farmers protest: SC says Punjab's responsibility to ensure stable health of Dallewal

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said that it is the Punjab authorities' responsibility to ensure the stable health condition of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a fast-unto-death for over 20 days at the Khanouri border between Punjab and Haryana to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the Chief Secretary of Punjab and Chairperson of the Medical Board (constituted to monitor the health of Dallewal) to file an affidavit on the health condition of Dallewal as well as the steps taken to ensure that no harm is caused to his health.
It is the entire responsibility of the state of Punjab to ensure the stable health condition of Dallewal, for which, if he requires hospitalisation, the authorities will take a call as to whether he can be shifted to a make-shift hospital which is said to have been set-up at a distance of 700m from the protest site, the bench said.
"A fresh medical report about the health stability of Mr. Dallewal and the necessary steps taken meanwhile to ensure that no damage is caused to his health shall be filed by Chief Secretary, Punjab as well as the Chairperson of the Medical Board constituted to monitor the health condition of Mr. Dallewal," the bench stated in its order.
The apex court now posted the matter for compliance with its order on January 2, 2025.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta urged the apex court to pass an order to shift the farmer's leader to a hospital, saying his health was deteriorating. However, the Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh said that a coercive direction might create difficulties in the ground situation.
Dallewal, the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanouri border.
The top court has been asking the Punjab government to ensure Dallewal gets proper medical aid during fast unto death.
The top court was hearing an appeal against the July 10 Punjab and Haryana High Court order by which it had directed 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 farmers would march to Delhi in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.