Jagjit Singh Dallewal Continues to Refuse Medical Intervention

January 14, 2025

The health of Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a 70-year-old farmer from Punjab, is deteriorating as he enters the 50th day of his indefinite hunger strike on Jan. 14. He has refused medical intervention while continuing his fast to demand a legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops.

Medical professionals have said his refusal to accept healthcare intervention has aggravated concerns about his blood pressure and overall stability, as reported by The Times of India. “He vomited while lying on the bed (on the evening of Jan 13),” Dr. Avtar Singh, from the nonprofit 5 Rivers Heart Association, was quoted as saying. “His condition is deteriorating every day and anything can happen to him.”

Dallewal, who serves as the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been stationed at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since Nov. 26 of last year.

Dallewal wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier, stating, “I have decided to sacrifice my life to stop the deaths of farmers. I hope that after my death, the central government will wake up from its slumber and move forward towards fulfilling our 13 demands, including a law on the MSP.”

When an elderly person fasts for an extended period, the body exhausts its stores of glucose, fats, and proteins. This depletion leads to severe deficiencies in essential nutrients and electrolytes, which are critical for maintaining bodily functions. As the body consumes its fat reserves, it begins to break down muscle and other tissues for energy, resulting in muscle wasting and loss of strength. Furthermore, the body enters a state called ketosis, where it burns fat for energy in the absence of carbohydrates, increasing the risk of severe health issues, including kidney damage and acidosis.

The farmers are calling for a legally guaranteed MSP for crops, debt relief and pensions for agricultural workers, in addition to the withdrawal of police cases lodged against demonstrators and justice for those killed in a 2021 vehicular incident in Lakhimpur Kheri. They also seek reinstatement of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act and compensation for families who lost loved ones during the 2020–21 protests.

The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear Dallewal’s plea, among several similar petitions, on Jan. 15. The petitions request a direction to the Central government for carrying out measures related to MSP commitments. The court will also review a contempt plea filed against certain Punjab government officials for allegedly not complying with an earlier mandate to transfer Dallewal to a hospital on Dec. 20.

Farmers have been encamped at border points in Shambhu and Khanauri since Feb. 13 of last year. Security forces have blocked their march toward Delhi ever since.

A Supreme Court-mandated panel, headed by Justice (Retired) Nawab Singh, is exploring viable remedies for farmer demands, including questions about revenue structures and fair support prices. The panel has also been instructed to review any proposals from the government side that address the ongoing standoff.

Local authorities are reportedly monitoring the protest site around Khanauri, maintaining a security presence to manage crowds and handle any possible need for medical intervention.

Meanwhile, the SKM, the federation of farmer unions that started the 2020–21 farmers’ protests, met on Jan. 13 with SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, which have been protesting for farmers’ demands on the interstate boundaries between Haryana and Punjab. The SKM has reportedly extended its support for the ongoing farmers’ protest, and another meeting will be held on Jan. 18, according to The Hindu.