No talks with govt till Dallewal freed, sent to Khanauri site: Farmers

To break the deadlock between the agitating farmer unions and the state machinery, DIG-Patiala Range Mandeep Singh Sidhu today visited the Khanauri border and held a meeting with farm leaders. However, the latter remained adamant and refused to hold talks till their leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal was brought to the protest site.

Farm leaders, including Baldev Singh Sirsa, Kaka Singh Kotra and Inderjit Singh Kot Budha, said they had told the police officers that they would decide about holding talks with the state authorities only after Dallewal was released and brought here.

The leaders also said they would chalk out their next action plan at a meeting of the SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

BKU (Sidhupur) state president Dallewal was detained by the police from the Khanauri border in the wee hours of Tuesday ahead of his fast-unto-death for the fulfilment of demands of the farmers. After Dallewal was whisked away, another farm leader Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande started the indefinite hunger strike.

When contacted, the DIG claimed that the talks between leaders of farmers and him concluded in a cordial atmosphere. He said he had told farm leaders that he would convey their concerns to the right quarters.