‘Dallewal felt dizzy and vomited; unable to speak today’, say SKM, doctors

Chandigarh: Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is sitting on a fast-unto-death to press for various demands of farmers, was feeling dizzy and vomited, and is "not even able to speak today", doctors and agitating farmers said on Sunday, the 41st day of his hunger strike.

The 70-year-old has refused medical aid the Punjab government has offered following directions by the Supreme Court, which is scheduled to hear on Monday a contempt plea against the state's chief secretary and DGP in the matter.

Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh and former deputy inspector general Narinder Bhargav met Dallewal at the Khanauri border point on Sunday, but there was no headway.

Dallewal, who is the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 last year over farmers' various demands including seeking a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Sharing information about Dallewal's health, Dr Avtar Singh, who is part of a team from NGO 5 Rivers Heart Association', said on Sunday his blood pressure fluctuated during a 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' at Khanauri the previous day.

"He felt dizzy and vomited when he was being taken back to his tent," said the doctor.

Dallewal was brought to the event in a stretcher to address the gathering of farmers while lying in a bed on a stage at the protest site. During his more than 11-minute address, Dallewal tried to send across a message farmers' welfare was more important than his life.

The SKM (Non-Political) said in a statement on Sunday Dallewal has had multiple episodes of vomiting since Saturday. "He is not even able to speak today," it said.

"Even if Dallewal ends his hunger strike, there is a danger all his organs may not be able to function 100 percent," it added.

Dallewal has not been able to stand properly, so his weight cannot be measured accurately, it further said. Doctors said Dallewal's glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which shows how well the kidneys are filtering, is dropping.