Farmers can directly come to us with demands: Supreme Court
As agitating farmers refused to interact with the court-appointed high-powered committee, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said its doors were always open to their suggestions and demands to reach an amicable solution to the problem.
“We clarify that the court’s doors are always open to any suggestion or demand by the farmers directly or through their authorised representative,” a Bench led by Justice Surya Justice Kant said.
The assurance came from the Bench after Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh told the Bench that the farmers had refused to interact with the SC-appointed committee, which had invited them for talks on December 17. Singh suggested that the farmers could be allowed to submit their demands directly to the court.
The Bench asked the Punjab Government to extend Dallewal immediate medical aid, saying it would have serious repercussions if something untoward happened to him. “He needs to be healthy to agitate… As an elected government and constitutional organ, you would not like to invite the blame that something happened to him… Even farmers should be concerned about saving his life. He’s their leader. You tell us something tomorrow. Do something swiftly,” the Bench told the Advocate General.
The Bench, however, said, “We leave it upon the state authorities to take necessary steps and ensure that medical aid, as per the doctor’s advice, is provided to Dallewal without any delay… Time is critical in this case.”
The Bench said saving Dallewal’s life should be a priority and it should not be dependent on fulfilling the farmers’ demands. The direction came after the Advocate General submitted that following the top court’s December 13 order, senior officials from Punjab and the MHA met Dallewal and held a detailed discussion, but he refused to undergo medical tests.
His vitals were fine, except the uric acid and doctors said indoor admission would be in his interest, the AG told the Bench during a hearing on the Haryana Government’s petition challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s July 10 order to open the Shambhu border on an experimental basis to prevent inconvenience to the general public.
As Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said immediate medical aid should be the first priority at this juncture, the Bench, which also included Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, said, “Look at the serious repercussions. The entire state machinery will be blamed.”
Farmer who took poison succumbs
Patiala: Ranjodh Singh (57) of Ratanheri village in Punjab’s Khanna, who allegedly consumed poison at Shambhu on Saturday, passed away at a hospital here on Tuesday. Ranjodh was reportedly upset over the deteriorating condition of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on fast-unto-death at Shambhu border.
