Patiala: Amidst the ongoing farmers' agitation at the Khanauri border, senior farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa, who is currently hospitalised after facing cardiac issues, has vowed that if anything happens to him, his body should be kept at the protest site until the demands of the farmers are met.
"If I die, my body should be kept at Khanauri Morch, and it should not be cremated until the demands are fulfilled," Sirsa said from the hospital bed. Sirsa, 80, was rushed to Rajindra Hospital on Wednesday after he suffered cardiac issues during the Mahapanchayat organised by the farmers here.
Lakhwinder Aulakh, a fellow farmer leader, explained that Sirsa had planned to address the gathering at Khanauri but fell ill before the Mahapanchayat could commence. Sirsa was then rushed to the hospital, Aulakh said, adding that Sirsa has vowed to return to the protest site once he recovers.
Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike since November 26, 2024, also said that if he dies during the protest, his body should be kept at the Khanauri border, reflecting his lifelong commitment to the struggle of agrarians.
The protest, which began on February 13 last year, saw farmers camping at both the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana, The farmers are demanding a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP). They were initially blocked from marching to Delhi to press for their demands.
The Centre has set a meeting for February 14 in Chandigarh, where farmers' demands are expected to be discussed.
