CHANDIGARH: A group of 121 farmers, who sat on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri protest site in solidarity with farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, ended their indefinite hunger strike today after he took medical aid. But Dallewal would not end his fast until the law for legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) for crops is enacted. Meanwhile, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) the umbrella body of the farmers union that spearheaded the 2020-21 farmers’ protest has decided to send out a memorandum to Members of Parliament (MP) instead of holding a protest outside their offices on January 20 and it will focus on the republic day (January 26) tractor rally and it’s general body meeting called on January 24 at Delhi where further programs and action plans shall be announced.The farmers ended their fast by sipping juice in the presence of Deputy Inspector General of Police Mandeep Sidhu and Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh. Farmer leaders, however, said Dallewal would not end his fast until a legal guarantee to minimum support price for crops is given.With his health deteriorating and the central government not agreeing to their demands, a group of 111 farmers joined Dallewal’s fast-unto-death on January 15 and sat on the Haryana side of the border near Khanauri. On January 17, 10 more farmers, who were from Haryana, joined them. The 70-year-old Dallewal who has refused any aid since he sat on a fast-unto-death on November 26, agreed on Saturday to take medical aid following the Centre’s invitation for talks on February 14 to discuss farmers’ demands.
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