Jagjit Singh Dallewal: The Indian farmer leader on hunger strike for 40 days

A 70-year-old producer president in India has been on a hunger reach for more than 40 days to pressure the federal government to take demands from producers in protest.

Doctors say that Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s health has deteriorated and that he is “unable to speak”, but he and his supporters have refused medical aid so far.

Next month, India’s Supreme Court had ordered the state of Punjab condition- where Dallewal is from- to transition him to a clinic. The prosecutor has been hearing a number of requests related to the subject.

The hunger strike by Dallewal is a part of a rally that started in February of last year when thousands of farmers gathered at the border between the state of Punjab and Haryana. Their demands include guaranteed prices for some plants, discounts of loans, and financial aid for farmers ‘ families who lost during earlier demonstrations.

They have since attempted to move to Delhi’s cash, but security forces have since stopped them at the border.

Not the first time India’s farmers staged a huge protest to raise awareness of their problems.

They pleaded for the reform of three farm laws introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for decades in Delhi’s territories in the year 2020.

Farmers argued that the laws may open the market for agricultural produce to exploitation, despite the government’s claim that the regulations may improve the community’s purchasing power.

The regulations were finally overturned, but farmers in protest have claimed that the government has never fulfilled all of their needs made in 2020.

Dallewal is from Punjab, which heavily relies on agriculture for work but has seen a steady decrease in land incomes, which has resulted in debts, suicides, and migration.

He is the head of a landowners ‘ organization that is lightly associated with Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a coalition of lots of organizations that organized the protests in 2020.

He had previously led demonstrations against terrain acquisition in Punjab and demanded payment for farmers who passed away by death. He led a convoy of trucks heading for Delhi in 2018 to demand that the government panel’s recommendations of a year prior suggest remuneration for producers ‘ produce and a waiver of farm debt be implemented.

In November, before Dallewal started his present hunger strike, he was taken to a doctor by the express authorities for a check-up. However, he quickly returned to the opposition page, claiming that he had been detained at the doctor.

He stated in a letter to Modi that he is willing to” sacrifice his life” in order to stop farmers ‘ deaths.

In terms of needs, not much has changed from earlier rallies. The farmers are urging the government to fulfill their unfilled demands, including a legal promise for the lowest minimum support prices, a mortgage loan cancellation, pensions for both farmers and agricultural laborers, no increase in electricity tariffs, the restoration of a property consolidation regulation, and compensation for the families of farmers who died during past protests.

However, according to experts, Modi’s administration’s strategy appears to have changed since this round of demonstrations.

The federal government had engaged in numerous negotiations with the producers during the demonstrations in 2020. Major officials, including India’s next agriculture and food officials, were part of the negotiations.

Important national officials met with their leaders in February to discuss their plans to move to Delhi, but there was no agreement on a deal.

However, the federal government appears to have gotten away from the demonstrations since then. When reporters asked Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to confirm his intentions for inviting protesting farmers for talks last week, he claimed the government may adopt any orders issued by the major court.

According to experts, this time around, the state is being careful to stop a repeat of what transpired in 2020. A crucial meeting between the next agriculture minister and farmers ‘ organisations in October that year had a disastrous outcome and sparked the year-long opposition that followed.

In September, the Supreme Court ordered that a council get set up to look into the farmers ‘ needs.

The commission submitted an interim statement in November, which documented the severe problems faced by India’s landowners. The review also noted the astronomically lower wages farmers earn and the enormous debts they are currently battling.

More than 400, 000 farmers and farm employees have died by suicide since 1995, according to the report, which was released by India’s National Crime Record Bureau.

Additionally, the committee suggested giving farmers primary income support.

According to reports, the screen is apparently looking into ways to improve farm income. It was scheduled to speak with several producers ‘ organizations in January.

Some organizations, however, have turned down their meeting, claiming that the commission does work to create a secure haven for protests.

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