'Was committee waiting for my death?' Farmers decline to meet high powered committee formed by SC

NEW DELHI: Farmer leader from Punjab Jagjit Singh Dallewal said on Tuesday that farmers will not meet tomorrow with the committee formed by the Supreme Court.

"Given my (Jagjit Singh Dallewal) medical condition and the state of the injured farmers at the Shambhu border, our fronts (Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha) have decided that we are unable to meet with you," Dallewal said in a letter addressed to Nawab Singh, the head of Supreme Court formed committee.

"Any further discussions on our demands will only be conducted with the central government," the letter further said.

The Apex court had set up a high-powered committee in September this year to conduct negotiations with the protesting farmers at the Shambhu border.

SC formed high powered committee had sent an invitation on Monday to farmer forums for a meeting on December 18 at Panchkula

Moreover, the Supreme Court last week instructed the panel to communicate with protesting farmers to convince them to either temporarily pause their agitation or move it away from highways on the Punjab-Haryana border.

Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri since February 13, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

In his letter, Dallewal highlighted his ongoing hunger strike at the Khanauri border, which he said had reached its 22nd day. He accused the committee of not making sufficient efforts to address the farmers' demands.

"Farmers attempting to march to Delhi from the Shambhu border were subjected to police excesses, resulting in injuries to over 40 farmers," the letter said, adding, "Your committee was established by the Honourable Supreme Court to restore trust between farmers and the government, but you have not made any concrete efforts in this regard, nor have you seriously attempted to engage with the central government to fulfill our legitimate demands."



Dallewal also criticized the committee for not visiting the protest sites at Khanauri and Shambhu and questioned the delay in their response.

"Kya committee meri mrityu ka intezaar kar rahi thhi? (Was the committee waiting for my demise?) We did not expect such insensitivity from the esteemed members of your committee," the letter added.

The farmers are demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, along with a debt waiver, pensions for farmers and agricultural workers, no increase in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases, and "justice" for those affected by the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

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