Jagjit Singh Dallewal breaks fast as farmers’ protests ease at borders

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who had been on a hunger strike since November 26, 2024, demanding systemic agricultural reforms and legal guarantees for Minimum Support Price (MSP), ended his fast on Friday. During a hearing related to the blockade at Punjab-Haryana border points, the Punjab government informed the Supreme Court that Dallewal, leader of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), had accepted water.

“Mr. Dallewal has finally broken his fast and accepted water,” Punjab’s advocate general Gurminder Singh informed a bench comprising justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh.

The bench welcomed the development.

“This is good news. We have always maintained that he is a true farmer leader and has the best interests of the farming community at heart,” remarked justice Kant.

Farmers, led by Dallewal under the banners of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, had been protesting along the Punjab-Haryana border since February 2024, demanding systemic agricultural reforms, legal guarantees for MSP, and debt relief, among other measures. The protest escalated with Dallewal’s hunger strike, which he had undertaken to highlight the need for a legal framework for MSP and other agrarian reforms.

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The matter reached the Supreme Court through an appeal filed by the Haryana government against an order of the Punjab and Haryana high court directing the removal of the blockade at the Shambhu border. The blockade had been set up to prevent farmers from marching to Parliament to press their demands.

Demanding a legal framework for MSP across all crops and the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, farmers began their march from various locations in Punjab. They were halted at border points on February 13, 2024, and had been camping there since. Violence erupted on February 21, 2024, at both protest sites when farmers attempted to breach barricades to proceed towards Delhi.

The clashes led to injuries among security personnel and protesters at the Khanauri border, where 21-year-old protester Shubh Karan Singh lost his life.

The Supreme Court had previously criticised the Punjab government for failing to hospitalise Dallewal despite his deteriorating health and medical advice. The court had consistently sought medical updates on his condition in earlier hearings.

In December last year, the apex court rebuked the Punjab government for not doing enough to persuade 67-year-old Dallewal to accept medical aid and urged the Centre to assist in finding a resolution. Given Dallewal’s declining health—he is a cancer patient—the bench issued contempt notices to the Punjab Chief Secretary and Director General of Police in response to a petition alleging non-compliance with court orders to provide him medical care. By January, the court put contempt proceedings on hold, citing “positive developments” after Dallewal accepted medical treatment and farmer unions agreed to negotiations.

On Friday, AG Singh informed the Supreme Court that the highways had been cleared of protesters.

“We successfully cleared the highways on March 19, after which the Haryana government also removed the barricades on their side. The roads are now open, and transportation has resumed normalcy,” he submitted.

The bench expressed satisfaction, stating: “Highways are the backbone of economic activities. Additionally, people rely on roads for daily commutes and medical emergencies.”

At this, Singh urged the bench to take up the report of the high-powered committee (HPC), constituted by the Supreme Court in September 2024. Headed by former Punjab and Haryana high court judge justice Nawab Singh, the committee was tasked with addressing farmers’ demands. It engaged with multiple stakeholders, including representatives from agriculture and horticulture departments, the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), and NITI Aayog, to examine key issues such as legal recognition of MSP, direct income support, and sustainable agricultural practices.

The committee submitted its initial report in November 2024, warning that India’s agrarian economy stood at a crossroads, facing rising indebtedness, declining incomes, and an intensifying climate crisis. The report recommended serious consideration of the farmers’ demand for legal backing to MSP while also addressing the growing issue of crop residue management, particularly stubble burning, which contributes to environmental pollution and public health risks. Without urgent policy intervention, the panel cautioned, these challenges could escalate.

In February 2025, the panel submitted another report, which has yet to be taken up by the Supreme Court bench.