Farmers Protest | Dallewal Ended Fast, NH Opened After Clearing Protesters : Punjab Govt Informs Supreme Court

The Punjab Government on Friday (March 28) informed the Supreme Court that it has cleared the protesting farmers from the Shambhu and Khanauri borders near Haryana, and cleared the National Highway for free traffic movement.

Advocate General of Punjab Gurminder Singh also informed the bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and NK Singh that Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the veteran leader of the protesters, has ended his hunger protest (which started in November last year) today.

"Mr Dallewal accepted water today and broke fast," AG Singh said.

The bench also refused to entertain a contempt petition filed against the Punjab authorities for clearing the protesters in alleged violation of a status quo order passed by the Supreme Court last year. The bench said that it was the Court which has been prodding the Government to open the High Court.

"We have been telling them to open the Highway. The contempt petition is misconceived", Justice Kant told the Advocate Angrej Singh, representing the contempt petitioner. Following this, the contempt petitioner chose to withdraw the contempt petition.

The Court also dropped the contempt proceedings initiated earlier against the Punjab Chief Secretary and the DGP for not taking steps to hospitalise Dallewal, who was sitting on fast then.

The Court directed the High Powered Committee, which was constituted by it to hold negotiations with the protesting farmers and the Governments, to file its supplementary report.

On the last occasion, the Court adjourned the matter after it was informed that the "discussions" between the protesting farmers and the Union Government are currently going on.