Amid Punjab farmers’ ongoing stir at the Punjab-Haryana border for a legal MSP guarantee, and SKM (non-political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s prolonged hunger strike, the movement underscores enduring farm discontent and evolving protest dynamics. A report by Aayush Goel
As the dense winter fog grips Punjab, thousands of its farmers are on Punjab-Haryana border fighting for a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops. This seemingly simple ask has sparked one of the most significant agricultural protests in recent Indian history. The current movement, while reminiscent of the 2020-21 farmers’ protest that successfully led to the repeal of three controversial farm laws, has its unique character. The absence of Haryana farmers, who were crucial allies in the previous protest, has changed the dynamics.
The ongoing farmers’ protests being held under the aegis of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) at Khanauri and Shambhu on the Punjab-Haryana border since February 13 last year have so far not created a resonance like the 2020-21 agitation.
But the continuing hunger strike of SKM’s (non-political) 70-year-old convener Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death is nearing 50 days, has kept the Punjab and Central government on the tenterhooks. Dallewal’s hunger strike has drawn national attention and even the Supreme Court intervention. Resham Singh, a 54-year-old farmer from Pahuwind in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, died by suicide at the protest site on the Shambhu border. The protest site at Khanauri has transformed into a small township, with makeshift kitchens serving langar (community meals), medical camps, and areas where farmers gather to discuss their strategies. Tractors lined up along the highways serve as temporary homes for these agricultural warriors, many of whom have left their fields during the crucial sowing season to participate in the protest.
The Supreme Court’s intervention in the matter, particularly regarding Dallewal’s health, has added another layer to the ongoing saga. The court directed Punjab officials to provide medical aid to the fasting leader, leading to a flurry of activity from the state administration.
However, Dallewal’s response to these efforts remains unchanged. “If the BJP is genuinely concerned about my health,” he stated in a video message, “they should approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept our legitimate demands rather than seeking intervention from the Akal Takht.” The reference to the BJP’s appeal to the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism, to intervene and make Dallewal end his fast has added a religious dimension to the protest. However, farmer leaders maintain that their movement is purely about agricultural economics and the survival of India’s farming community.
