The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the agitating farmers protesting at the Shambhu border of Punjab-Haryana to temporarily end their protest or move off the highway. The Supreme Court asked the agitating farmers to adopt the Gandhian path.
The court adjourned further hearing till December 17. The Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan also ordered immediate medical aid to Punjab farmer leader Jagjitsinh Dallewal, who has been on a fast for the last 17 days. The bench said that Dallewal’s health was deteriorating. He is a senior citizen and has many health problems. Since he is a well-known farmer leader, it becomes the responsibility of the Central Government and the State Government to provide him immediate medical aid without breaking his fast.
The bench decided that the member secretary of the high-powered committee appointed by it would try to convince the farmers. Till then the farmers should stop the protest or go somewhere else. We are not saying that they should not protest. The court expressed the view that the protests should be put on hold for some time as talks continue. If no solution is found then the protests may continue. The main job of the committee is to convince the farmers to go somewhere else or postpone the protest for some time, so that the roads at Shambhu border are cleared. The court especially emphasized on not using force on the farmers. It is noteworthy that Dallewal is on a fast unto death on the Khanauri border between Punjab-Haryana from November 26 to put pressure on the central government in support of the demands of the agitating farmers including legal guarantee of MSP on their crops.