The Punjab government is rushing against time, unable to make much progress, as the Supreme Court sets a deadline of two days to hospitalise fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. The Aam Aadmi Party government has sent a delegation of senior police officers to Khanauri on the Haryana border twice since Saturday evening, according to sources, in an attempt to see Dallewal and establish a line of contact with the demonstrators. However, the group has been unable in persuading the farmer leader to break his fast. Another team was on the scene speaking with Dallewal and other demonstrators till the last reports arrived.
The Supreme Court harshly criticised the Punjab government on Saturday, stating that there was a “perception” that it was not doing enough to preserve Dallewal’s life. The court will hear the case again on December 31. When the state argued that the protesters had called youth to gather at the spot to thwart any move to shift Dallewal, the Court asked why the situation had been allowed to reach this stage. “It is abetment of suicide. You first create a problem and then you take a plea, now there is a problem, we can do nothing,” the Bench said.
The state government may have to employ force to admit Dallewal to a hospital or risk contempt of court if it is unable to persuade him to accept medical assistance. The Bhagwant Mann administration will want to steer clear of this issue in light of the Khanauri incident, especially because Dallewal’s attempt to do the same at the beginning of the fast had failed.
A government functionary told, “As of now, there is no headway. Dallewal is adamant, he does not want to break his fast unto death till the Centre agrees to the farmers’ demands, the foremost being a legal guarantee for MSP on all crops and the waiver of debts of farmers.”
The official said they had gone to Dallewal with a clean slate and urged him that a way be found so that “there is no collateral damage and the Supreme Court order is complied with at the same time”. “We are trying to find a solution so that there is a graceful exit for both Dallewal and the Punjab government.”
The farmers must understand that the administration feared the worst if it employed force, the official said. “There could be loss of human lives. There are farmers guarding Dallewal. Police might have to use extreme measures.”
However, Sarvan Singh Pandher, the leader of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, whose group is involved in the Khanauri demonstrations, implied that the farmers were prepared for the repercussions. Speaking to the news agency, he said: “Dallewal saab has already said he will not relent. It now depends on the Centre and Punjab government whether they want the blood of farmers on their hands. I have already appealed to the youth from villages near Patiala to reach Khanauri border by Sunday night so that police are not successful if they plan an operation to pick up Dallewal in the dark of night.”
Given that the Supreme Court’s order must be followed, the official acknowledged that the state administration was in a difficult situation. “We were waiting for the CM to come back from Australia. He is back. Mann spoke to DGP Gaurav Yadav and Chief Secretary K A P Sinha. The government is now working out a way, otherwise our Chief Secretary and DGP can face arrests.”
The opposition had already criticised Mann’s decision to travel to Australia during the crisis.
According to a legal expert who wished to remain anonymous, the Punjab government had two choices: “having the deadline order vacated or modified, or just following it.”
Another legal expert said that if the deadline is not met, “technically, the Supreme Court can summon them (the officers), hold them guilty of contempt. It would be the most aggravated form of contempt”.
Pandher said that was not a concern of the farmers. “Why is contempt of court only applicable to farmers and labourers?” he said.
On the face of it, the AAP government remained optimistic. Finance Minister Harpal Cheema, who met Dallewal Friday – almost the entire state Cabinet has made the trip over the past month of the fast – told the news agency: “We had a very good meeting. Dallewal did not say anything negative, but said he would not break his fast. Now, officials are engaging with him. Let us hope all this ends peacefully.”
Cheema added that the Centre too bore responsibility for the situation, and “should at least talk to the agitating farmers”. “The Supreme Court should tell the Centre to sort out the issue.”
The state government earlier removed Dallewal from the site on the intervening night of November 25-26, before he began his fast. Police broke into his temporary hut, and it was all over in a matter of minutes as there were very few protesters around. Dallewal was admitted to Ludhiana Hospital, where he started his strike on November 26 as scheduled. Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande, another head of the farmer union, had observed the fast on his behalf at the Khanauri location.
However, farmers from all over the state came to the Khanauri protest as a result of the ire over Dallewal’s dismissal. In addition to the Centre, the Punjab administration was now the target of some of their ire. The AAP government had caved and dismissed Dallewal on the evening of November 29 in anticipation of the upcoming civic elections. At that time, Hardojhande had broken his fast, and Dallewal had restarted his hunger strike at Khanauri. After then, the AAP became preoccupied with the civic polls and the results, wasting valuable time, according to government sources.
