Who is Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose life is ‘hanging by a thread’?

Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s health has deteriorated, with doctors warning that his life is “hanging by a thread”. The 70-year-old has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana for 25 days now.

Dallewal, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) leader, is on an indefinite hunger strike to press the Centre to accept the demands of the protesting farmers, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) on all crops.

Let’s take a closer look.

Who is Jagjit Singh Dallewal?

Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the president of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), is a native of Dallewal village in Faridkot.

Dallewal, who comes from a farmers’ family, completed his postgraduation from Punjabi University, as per Hindustan Times.

His BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) broke away from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) after its leader Balbir Singh Rajewal formed the Samyukta Samaj Morcha to fight the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.

Dallewal created the SKM (non-political) in July 2022 with other like-minded farmer leaders.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) comprises 150 farmer unions.

Farmer leaders of his outfit, along with Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been agitating at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 this year after their ‘ Delhi Chalo ’ march was stopped by security forces.

Before launching his indefinite hunger strike, Dallewal made his will, transferring property to his son, daughter-in-law and grandson.

“He transferred 4.5 acres to me, two acres in the name of my wife, Harpreet Kaur, and the remaining 10.5 acres in the name of my son, Jigarjot Singh. He told us that his fast unto death was going to be an aar-paar ki ladai (decisive battle) for the farmers,” the farmer leader’s son, Gurpinderpal Dallewal, told Indian Express.

The SKM (non-political) leader said he transferred land to his daughter-in-law to ensure she is financially secure.

The move turned him into a feminist icon.“He is the face of feminist farmer leader,” social activist Samita Kaur told the newspaper.

Dallewal is not new to hunger strikes.

A follower of Anna Hazare, he joined the social activist’s hunger strike in Delhi on March 23, 2018. Hazare was demanding the immediate implementation of the Lokpal Act, finding a solution for agrarian distress and a better electoral process.

Dallewal’s last hunger strike was on June 8, 2023, when he staged a protest outside the head office of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) office in Patiala to press the state government for 21 demands.

How his health has worsened

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) leader’s health deteriorated on Thursday (December 19). As per a PTI report, he fainted for 8-10 minutes with doctors saying his condition was critical.

Dallewal is at the risk of cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure, according to doctors.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court directed Punjab to convince Dallewal to undergo a health examination. It also rapped the state government for not conducting medical tests on the farmer leader.

Dallewal, a cancer patient, has not eaten anything for the last 24 days, doctors told reporters yesterday. “Because of that, he is critical and he is at the risk of cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure. We are monitoring him every day,” Dr Abhiraj, who is part of a team of doctors from 5 Rivers Heart Association, an NGO, said.

“His blood pressure dropped today. We raised his legs and gave [him a] massage. But his situation is very sensitive. His life is hanging by a thread right now,” the doctor said, adding that “anything can happen at any time.”

“Right now ketones are on the higher side. Because of electrolyte imbalance, he can have [a] cardiac arrest at any time. His situation is critical,” Dr Abhiraj told reporters.

Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar also spoke about Dallewal’s condition. “When he went to the washroom to take a bath and after coming out of it, his condition worsened. He felt dizzy, fell down, vomited and fainted for around 8-10 minutes,” he said.

Farmers protest

The latest farmers’ protest , dubbed the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, was launched by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) in February.

Some of their demands include a legal guarantee on MSP for crops, a debt waiver, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

On Tuesday, a parliamentary panel suggested the government implement a legally binding MSP for agricultural produce, pointing out that this could reduce farmer suicides and give them financial stability.

Dallewal appeared before the Supreme Court through a video conference on Thursday. “He remained connected for around 12 -15 minutes but it kept disconnecting intermittently,” farmer leader Kohar was quoted as saying by PTI. 

The SKM (non-political) issued a statement last evening, laying out what Dallewal wanted to convey to the Supreme Court. “I have learned that you are concerned about my health, and I deeply respect your sentiments…Earlier, only farmers and agricultural labourers demanded the MSP guarantee law, but now even the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has explicitly stated in its report (Volume 1, Point 7, Page 54) that an MSP Guarantee Law should be enacted, as it would greatly benefit farmers, the rural economy, and the nation. This committee, comprising 31 MPs from various political parties, clearly indicates the significance of this law,” the statement read, as per Indian Express. 

With inputs from agencies