New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it is a positive development that the Centre sent a high-level delegation which had met with farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, on a hunger strike, and other farmer leaders and it appears both sides have agreed to have a dialogue and resolve the issue.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan. The top court decided to keep in abeyance a plea for contempt action against Punjab government officials after noting that Dallewal, was undergoing medical treatment without breaking his fast.
The bench observed that Centre’s representatives had met the protesting farmers’ over their various demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops, and another meeting was scheduled on February 14 in Chandigarh.
The bench said it is a positive development that Dallewal, whose health condition had deteriorated due to fasting for about 50 days, was now getting better. The bench noted Dallewal accepted medical aid and moved into a makeshift hospital, set up 50 metres from the protest site at the Khanauri border.
"Various positive developments have taken place. The Government of India sent a high-level delegation which had met with Dallewal and other farmer leaders. It appears both sides have agreed to have a dialogue and resolve the issue in Chandigarh on February 14, 2025," said the bench.
The bench said all the stakeholders would be able to make decisions and determine the future course of action. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh contended before the bench that Dallewal and other protesting farmers, on indefinite fast, have accepted medical intervention after Centre's high-level deputation met them on January 18.
The bench, in its order, said, "Dallewal has also agreed to be part of the delegation to resume talks with the Central government and other authorities in Chandigarh on February 14, 2025".
"We would like to impress upon Dallewal that he can go to Chandigarh a couple of days in advance of the meeting and have a proper medical checkup at PGI, Chandigarh and take necessary medical aid for his effective participation. We are also informed that some other farmers' leaders have also broken their fast and have agreed to resume the talks," the bench noted in its order.
Against the backdrop of these developments, the bench said the contempt proceedings are kept in abeyance and the presence of officials dispensed. The top court has scheduled the matter for further hearing at the end of February.
On January 15, the top court asked the Punjab government for a copy of the health reports of Dallewal to be examined by the medical board of AIIMS. Farmers, under the banners of SKM and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
