Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and Punjab advocate general Gurminder Singh informed the bench that Dallewal and other protesting farmers on indefinite fast have accepted medical intervention after a high-level deputation from the Centre met them on January 18.Singh submitted the Centre was kind enough to send their representative with a high-level delegation to meet the protesting farmers including their leader Dallewal.”They had met the farmers along with Dallewal. Very positive development has taken place. Two things happened-we have been given the assurance that at around 5 pm on February 14, talks have been scheduled at Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Chandigarh. Farmers are ready and willing to participate,” he submitted.Singh further pointed out that around 100 farmers, who were sitting on indefinite fast, along with Dallewal broke their fast and accepted the medical intervention.”Though without breaking his fast, Dallewal has taken medical aid. Fortunately, within a span of a few days, his ketone levels have gone down. His health conditions are improving very fast,” he informed the bench.Sibal requested the bench to defer the hearing on the matter for quite some time after the scheduled meeting.”He is highly popular among farmers and has good original ideas on how matters can be addressed. We are hopeful that he will take care of his health,” Justice Surya Kant told Sibal.On January 15, the top court asked the Punjab government for a copy of the health reports of Dallewal to be examined for an opinion from the medical board of AIIMS.The septuagenarian farmer leader recently met the apex court-appointed panel after the Punjab government said the protesting farmers were persuaded to meet Justice (retd) Nawab Singh, who chairs the committee.Dallewal, who is the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) (non-political), had started his indefinite hunger strike on November 26, 2024.He had refused medical aid offered by the Punjab government and his health deteriorated recently.Farmers, under the banners of SKM and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.On December 20 last year, the apex court put the onus on Punjab government officials and doctors to decide on his hospitalisation.The top court said Dallewal could be moved to the makeshift hospital set up within 700 metres of the protest site at Khanauri border.In September, 2024, the apex court formed the committee headed by a former high court judge, with the aim to amicably resolve the grievances of the protesting farmers.
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