Dallewal asks farmers to reach Khanauri on Saturday

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 39 days, has appealed to farmers to reach the Khanauri protest site at the Punjab-Haryana border in large numbers on Saturday to strengthen the fight seeking a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Farmers, on a warpath against the BJP-led Centre over their demands, last week called for a ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ at Khanauri.

In a 70-second video message released on Friday, Dallewal said he is appealing to the people of the country, who are part of the fight for a legal guarantee on the MSP, "that they must reach Khanauri as I want to have your darshan".

The farmers, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (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 their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

Dallewal (70) has so far refused to take any medical aid despite his prolonged fasting, which has caused his health to deteriorate.

The Punjab government has been making efforts to persuade Dallewal to take medical aid if he does not wish to break his fast, but he has so far remained firm in his stance.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Thursday that a team of government doctors is regularly monitoring Dallewal's health.

Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar told reporters at Khanauri that Dallewal would speak for two to three minutes at Saturday's event to send across an important message.

Another senior farmer leader, Sarwan Singh Pandher, who is the coordinator of the two fora that are spearheading the agitation at Shambhu and Khanauri, said the Centre continues to adopt a "stubborn attitude" and is not resolving the issue.