A group of 111 farmers began an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday in solidarity with farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, reported PTI.

Dallewal, a 70-year-old cancer patient, has been on a hunger strike at Khanauri, at the border between Punjab and Haryana, since November 26. His health is reportedly steadily deteriorating.

The strike is part of a wider campaign to press the Union government to accept farmers’ demand for legally guaranteed minimum support prices. The minimum support price is the rate at which the government procures crops from farmers.

“Farmers are emotional and they have said that they will also follow Dallewal and start an indefinite fast in a peaceful manner,” farm leader Abhimanyu Kohar was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Besides a legal guarantee for minimum support prices, the farmers have also been demanding the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Commission’s wider recommendations for farming in India, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, a farm debt waiver, the reinstatement of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act and justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

The farmers have alleged that the Union government has not taken steps to address their demands, claiming that no talks have been held since February.

Since then, they have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border, under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.

“Today, Dallewal’s fast-unto-death entered day 51,” Kohar was quoted as saying by PTI. “The Centre is neither ready to listen to anything, nor is it initiating talks or fulfilling our demands.”

SC seeks Dallewal’s medical reports

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court asked the Punjab government for Dallewal’s comparative medical reports, reported Live Law.

This came after the state government told the court that Dallewal’s health was improving.

“Where are the latest parameters?” asked Justice Surya Kant. “Last time some officers filed an affidavit [stating that his condition is deteriorating], now you are saying that his parameters are improving? How can it happen?”

The state government then clarified that Dallewal’s condition was “stable”.

On January 6, Dallewal met with a Supreme Court-appointment high-powered committee, to whom he refused medical aid.

Headed by retired High Court judge Nawab Singh, the committee was set up in September to resolve the grievances of the protesting farmers’ groups.

Singh had told Dallewal that the Supreme Court was worried about his health. “On every date of hearing, he [Justice Surya Kant] keeps issuing directions to ensure your good health,” Singh said.

Dallewal responded: “I respect Justice Surya Kant but how do I ask him why he does not give any direction to the Centre, when our issue is to be sorted by Centre? When the Punjab advocate general asks him to direct the Centre, then Surya Kant ji does not listen. The Union minister [Shivraj Singh Chouhan] says if the Supreme Court tells them, they will comply with orders. If SC is not ready to give this direction to the Centre, then we do not have hope from anywhere.”