Farmers protest: SC says court doors always open to suggestion & demand
New Delhi: The Punjab government informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday that protesting farmers, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal who is on an indefinite fast at the Khanauri border, have declined to engage with its high-powered committee despite multiple attempts at dialogue.
During the hearing, Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh told the bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan that while the committee had invited the protesters for talks on December 17, they refused to participate. Singh suggested the farmers could submit their demands directly to the court, prompting the bench to clarify that “court’s doors are always open” for farmers’ suggestions, either directly or through authorised representatives.
The court expressed particular concern about Dallewal’s deteriorating health condition, directing the Punjab government to provide immediate medical assistance. The state’s advocate general reported that although authorities, including a central government representative, had assessed Dallewal’s condition, he refused to undergo medical tests. “Do not delay it. He is a public personality, a non-political leader of the masses,” the bench emphasised, warning against any negligence in managing Dallewal’s health. “As an elected government and constitutional organ, you would not like to invite this blame that because of something has happened,” the justices added. Dallewal has been fasting since November 26 at the Punjab-Haryana border, demanding legal guarantees for minimum support price (MSP) on crops. The protest, organised under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, has seen farmers camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points since February 13, after security forces halted their planned march to Delhi.
A Supreme Court-appointed panel, established on September 2 under former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nawab Singh, recently submitted an interim report highlighting various causes of agrarian distress, including stagnant yields, rising costs, mounting debts, and inadequate marketing systems. The committee recommended exploring legal backing for MSP and direct income support as potential solutions.
The case is scheduled for further hearing on December 19.
