Shambhu Border Blockade : Supreme Court Raises Concerns About Health Of Fasting Protester; Committee To Persuade Farmers To Shift/Suspend Protest

In the matter related to farmers' protest at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana, the High Power Committee constituted by the Supreme Court agreed to persuade the farmers to temporarily shift the protest venue and clear the National Highway for smooth traffic or temporarily suspend their agitation.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta and Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh agreed with the Committee's proposal to persuade the protesters.

The Member Secretary of the Committee, who was present in the Court, assured that the Committee would take up this proposal in its very next meeting as a preliminary issue and would file a report.

The Court also urged the Punjab and Union Governments to ensure proper medical aid to protest leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose health was reported to be deteriorating due to his fast unto death.

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan expressed concerns about the health of Dallewal and said that he should be given medical aid, without forcing him to break his fast. During the hearing, the bench was handed over newspaper reports about the hunger fast of Dallewal, a senior citizen.

Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh agreed to the suggestion but said that the use of force might result in an "unsavoury situation."

Justice Kant told the AG, "He must be provided medical aid immediately, without forcing him to break his fast...Please have a direct dialogue and communication. His life is more precious than agitations. He is providing leadership...other farmers should support you.."

The bench observed in its order that it was the "bounden duty of the Punjab government and the Union to take all peaceful measures to provide adequate, immediate medical aid to Dallewal, without forcing him to break his fast, unless it is imperative to save his life."

It suggested that the representatives of the Punjab Government and the Union may immediately meet Dallewal and other farmer leaders to convince them that the immediate concern is to provide him with medical aid.

The Punjab AG persuaded the bench not to specifically direct the shifting of Dallewal to hospital, saying that such a direction may create problems. The AG assured that the needful would be done even without any such specific direction.

The matter will be next considered on Tuesday (December 17).

Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 and wrote to the Prime Minister raising his demands.

The Court was hearing Haryana's plea against Punjab and Haryana High Court's direction to unblock the Shambhu Border between the States of Punjab and Haryana. The border was closed in February this year due to farmers' protests, raising demands such as a statutory guarantee for the Minimum Support Price for crops.

In September, the Court constituted a High-Powered Committee to hold negotiations with the farmers who are protesting at the Shambhu border between the States of Punjab and Haryana.

Case Details: The State of Haryana v. Uday Pratap Singh, SLP(C) No. 15407-15410/2024

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