Slamming the Centre for adopting an "indifferent" attitude towards their demands, a group of 111 farmers began a fast fast-unto-death on Wednesday in solidarity with their leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal whose indefinite strike entered day 51.
The protesting farmers have expressed concern over Dallewal's "deteriorating" health, saying the 70-year-old risks "multiple organ failure" because of the prolonged fasting.
Dallewal, who is the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year.
The farmers have been protesting over various demands including a legally guarantees minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
Dallewal has refused any medical aid during his fasting, which has caused his health to worsen.
Farmers, under the banner of the SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after security forces did not allow them to march to Delhi.
Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar, who has been associated with Dallewal for a long time, lashed out at the Union government on Wednesday for not "paying a heed" to farmers' demands.
"Today, Dallewal's fast-unto-death entered day 51. The Centre is neither ready to listen to anything nor it is initiating talks nor fulfilling our demands," Kohar said.
The protesting farmers had earlier said if anything untoward happens to Dallewal, the Centre might not be able to handle what comes afterwards When asked about holding talks with the protesting farmers to end the logjam, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently said the government would act in accordance with the Supreme Court's instructions.
On January 4, Punjab Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian had sought Chouhan's personal intervention urging the Centre hold a dialogue with the protesting farmers at the earliest to break the impasse.
On the status of Dallewal's health, Kohar said it is "critical" because of the indefinite fast.
Doctors have said his body is not even accepting water and whenever he takes water, he throws up, according to Kohar.
Doctors attending to Dallewal have already said his health is "deteriorating" every day. His ketone level is on a higher side and muscle mass has decreased, they have said.
The farmers earlier said Dallewal had not been eating anything since November 26 last year and was just surviving on water.
The protesting farmers have now decided that a group of 111 farmers would start a fast-unto-death in solidarity with Dallewal from Wednesday.
"Farmers are emotional and they have said that they will also follow Dallewal and start an indefinite fast in a peaceful manner," said Kohar.
On December 20 last year, the apex court put the onus on Punjab government officials and doctors to decide on Dallewal's hospitalisation.
The top court had said Dallewal could be moved to a makeshift hospital set up within 700 metres of the protest site at the Khanauri border.
The state government has deputed medical teams round-the-clock, with two advanced life support (ALS) ambulances stationed at the Khanauri protest site.
The medical teams of Rajindra Medical College and Mata Kaushalya Hospital, Patiala, have been deployed by the Punjab government for the continuous care of the health of the farmer leader.
A makeshift hospital with all emergency medicines and equipment has also been set up near the protest site.
Meanwhile, the SKM (Non-Political), Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and the SKM have initiated talks for a joint fight against the Centre for the acceptance of their demands.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders on Monday held a meeting with the two farmer bodies leading the protest at the borders of Punjab and Haryana for a joint agitation.
Emphasising the need for unity among the farmer bodies, the leaders of the three organisations decided to hold another meeting on January 18 to draw a blueprint for a united fight for their demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops.
The SKM, which led the 2020 agitation against the now-repealed three farm laws, is not part of the stir of the SKM (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM).
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