An unprecedented crowd turned up for the ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’, referred to as by the leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), on the Khanauri border to mark the fortieth day of farmer chief Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s fast-unto-death to press for a legally assured minimal assist worth (MSP), amongst different calls for.
It was the most important crowd to assemble throughout the ongoing farmers’ agitation because the 2020-21 protests towards the now-scrapped farm legal guidelines. A few kilometre of the four-lane freeway resulting in Khanauri was full of individuals, and the remaining three kilometres have been jammed with the autos that introduced them.
The present protest, which started on February 13, 2024 at Shambu and Khanauri borders with Haryana, accomplished 327 days on Saturday.
Till now, the agitation had been primarily issue-driven and closely reliant on organisational equipment to mobilise individuals. However Saturday’s crowd, nevertheless, discovered new inspiration in 70-year-old Dallewal. Girls have been seen bowing their heads earlier than posters with Dallewal’s picture displayed on autos and lots of got here merely to catch a glimpse of Dallewal, who arrived on the Mahapanchayat in an ambulance and was carried to the stage on a stretcher.
A solemn silence enveloped the gathering as Dallewal started his speech. In a feeble voice, he addressed the group whereas laying on a mattress. For a while, Dallewal was additionally accompanied on stage by his 8-year-old grandson.
“I’m not combating for myself. It’s all the need of the Almighty. One night time, the police tried to take away me, however youth from Punjab and Haryana arrived in giant numbers and stood guard. You have got gathered in such nice numbers. That is all the need of the Almighty. I’m assured we are going to win. Regardless of how a lot energy the federal government makes use of to defeat us, they gained’t succeed,” Dallewal stated.
“I do know all concerning the World Commerce Organisation and have studied it. I perceive this can be a tough process, however we can not hand over simply because it’s powerful,” he added.
Talking on farmer suicides, he stated, “The Supreme Court docket committee reported that 4 lakh farmers have dedicated suicide, however our knowledge reveals the quantity is seven lakh. Ought to we allow them to proceed to die? We’re farmers’ leaders, but nothing has been carried out to cease these suicides.”
“A couple of days in the past, the Supreme Court docket stated a mine employee’s life is valuable. However what concerning the kids of these seven lakh farmers who dedicated suicide? Their kids are struggling. No farmer ought to die sooner or later. That’s why I really feel I need to sacrifice for this trigger,” Dallewal added.
Addressing farmer leaders throughout the nation, he stated, “In the course of the first section of the agitation in 2021, different states complained that (farmers from) Punjab withdrew after repealing the three farm legal guidelines, however did not safe an MSP assure. Now, Punjab is again on the battlefield. It’s the duty of farmers’ leaders from different states to unite and put stress on the federal government, proving that this agitation isn’t just Punjab’s however belongs to the entire nation. Each state in India wants MSP. Punjab wants MSP to guard its groundwater.”
“The way in which you have got gathered in the present day, every village should ship not less than one tractor-trolley to the agitation in order that the federal government doesn’t assault the protest web site. I thanks all for coming,” Dallewal stated as he concluded his speech.
Throughout his speech, he stopped to ask for water just a few instances. However when his physician requested him to cease attributable to hypertension, he refused and continued to talk. A most cancers affected person, Dallewal has thus far refused to take any medical support regardless of his deteriorating situation.
Whereas Shubkaran Singh, a farmer from the Bathinda district who was allegedly shot useless throughout farmers’ efforts to march in the direction of Delhi from Khanauri, had initially grow to be the poster youngster for the agitation, Dallewal has now joined him because the face of the motion amid his rising reputation.
“He’s solely taking water. Initially, he was consuming 4 litres each day, however now it’s right down to two-and-a-half litres. Medical doctors have advised us that solely 30% of his physique mass stays,” stated Sarwan Singh Pandher, the second-most outstanding chief of the agitation, to The Indian Specific.
Whereas addressing the group, Pandher stated that there at the moment are solely two paths ahead. “Both we win, or Jagjit Singh Dallewal sacrifices. There is no such thing as a third possibility. We is not going to return with out victory,” Pandher stated.
The gang on the Mahapanchayat, nevertheless, was not restricted to members of farmers’ unions. Paramjit Kaur, who got here to Khanauri from the Hansari village close to Patiala district’s Patran, stated, “I belong to Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan faction), however I’m right here in the present day to assist Dallewal. He’s combating for us. As soon as once more, all unions should unite. This unity helped us win in 2021 and can guarantee our victory once more.”
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