Farmer chief Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s fast-unto-death entered day 24 on Thursday (December 19). Dallewal, 70, had fainted for roughly 10 minutes on Thursday earlier than being revived. The Punjab authorities is conserving an in depth eye on the chief’s well being, even because it tries to speak to agitating farmers.
Dallewal is just not the primary Punjab chief to have gone on a starvation strike. However such fasts have seldom yielded a lot up to now. Listed here are 6 well-known cases.
- 01
Bhagat Singh, 1929
Bhagat Singh, in 1929. (Wikimedia Commons)Maybe essentially the most well-known starvation strike within the historical past of Punjab — and India — is the one which revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh undertook at Lahore’s Mianwali Jail in 1929 (earlier than Partition, Lahore was the capital of the Punjab province). Bhagat Singh’s 116-day lengthy strike was a protest towards the therapy meted to political prisoners.
He started his quick, alongside together with his fellow inmates, on June 11, making calls for for higher bogs, clothes, availability of books, and high quality meals. Considered one of Bhagat Singh’s fellow inmates, Jatindra Nath Das, died on September 13 on day 63 of the starvation strike. Bhagat Singh referred to as off the starvation strike on October 5 on the request of his father.
Though the strike didn’t change a lot when it got here to jail situations, it added to the mythology of Bhagat Singh in Punjab and past.
- 02
Grasp Tara Singh, 1961
Grasp Tara Singh. (Wikimedia Commons)Shiromani Akali Dal chief Grasp Tara Singh went on a starvation strike in 1961, demanding the creation of a Punjabi-speaking state. He started his quick on the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and proclaimed he’ll quick unto demise except his calls for are met.
Then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Lal Nehru advised him, nonetheless, that India is a secular nation, and the creation of a state primarily based on non secular distinction can be inappropriate. However, in a private letter, Nehru assured to additional look into the matter. This prompted Tara Singh to finish his quick after 48 days, by accepting a glass of juice from fellow SAD chief Sant Fateh Singh. Many within the SAD have been sad with this resolution and turned towards him.
In the end Punjab was bifurcated on the premise of language, to create the states of Punjab and Haryana in 1966. Tara Singh, nonetheless, didn’t reside for for much longer, passing a yr afterward November 22, 1967.
- 03
Sant Fateh Singh, 1966
Sant Fateh Singh breaking his quick with orange juice. (Categorical Archive Photograph)SAD chief Sant Fateh Singh started fasting unto demise on December 17, 1966. His calls for? The inclusion of Chandigarh, and different Punjabi-speaking areas within the newly-formed state of Punjab. He even threatened self-immolation after 10 days if his calls for weren’t met.
Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi intervened on December 27, and promised Singh that his calls for can be thought of. The 55-year previous chief ended his quick after the PM’s assurance. However nothing got here of it afterwards, Chandigarh stays the joint capital of Haryana and Punjab, a lot to the disagreement of many Punjabis.
- 04
Darshan Singh Pheruman, 1969
Darshan Singh Pheruman. (Wikimedia Commons)Darshan Singh Pheruman, a former MP, Sikh activist, and freedom fighter, accused Fateh Singh of reducing the dignity of Sikhism by breaking his ardas (prayer) of fasting unto demise though his calls for have been by no means met. On the age of 84, Pheruman mentioned he’ll quick unto demise to make sure that all Punjabi-speaking areas are transferred to Punjab from Haryana.
He was arrested on August 12, 1969 and commenced his quick contained in the Amritsar jail on August 15. He was hospitalised on August 27, however refused all therapy and any feeding. He handed away on October 27, on the 74th day of his starvation strike.
Following his demise, his supporters floated the Shaheed Pheruman Akali Dal however this get together has to date failed to determine any important foothold in Punjab politics.
- 05
Surat Singh Khalsa, 2015-2023
Surat Singh Khalsa after being discharged from the hospital in Ludhiana final yr. (Categorical Photograph by Gurmeet Singh)Surat Singh Khalsa’s quick could be the longest in Punjab historical past. He started fasting on the age of 82 on January 16, 2015 and solely broke his quick on January 14, 2023. Throughout this time, he was fed by way of a nasal tube (like Irom Sharmila of Manipur).
Khalsa’s quick was aimed to safe the discharge of political prisoners who have been languishing in Punjab jails regardless of finishing their phrases. He started his quick at his house in Ludhiana district’s Hassanpur village, however spent most of his time in the course of the quick in Ludhiana’s Dayanand Medical Faculty and Hospital.
He ended his quick simply forward of his ninetieth birthday, reportedly as a consequence of an attraction made by Sikh prisoner Jagtar Singh Hawara. The Insaaf Morcha, an amalgamation of assorted Sikh organisations arrange in Mohali on January 7, 2023, continues to struggle for the discharge of Sikh political prisoners.
- 06
Jagjit Singh Dallewal, 2024
Dallewal, a 70-year-old prostate most cancers affected person, started his quick unto demise on November 26.
He’s the coordinator of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a discussion board comprising over 100 farmers’ unions. That is Dallewal’s sixth starvation strike up to now, and the longest one until date. His supporters say that he’s solely consuming water throughout his quick. Forward of his quick, Dallewal willed his 17 acres of farmland to his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson.
His calls for embody making MSP a authorized assure, and implementing the Swaminathan Fee’s report to find out charges of crops.
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