Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal calls off his indefinite hunger strike

Punjab Farmer Leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal Ends Hunger Strike After 16 Days Amid Health Fears

Veteran farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the face of Punjab's agrarian protests, broke his indefinite fast on Thursday after supporters and doctors intervened due to his failing health. The 62-year-old president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur) had been refusing food since October 1 at the Punjab-Haryana border, demanding loan waivers and legal MSP guarantees from the central government.  

Witnesses described an emotional scene as fellow farmers and family members pleaded with the weakening leader to end his protest. "My body has its limits, but our movement doesn't," Dallewal said hoarsely before accepting a glass of juice from a young farmer, his hands trembling. The moment was met with both relief and renewed determination among the gathered protesters, who immediately began planning the next phase of their agitation.  

Punjab's political leadership took note of the development, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann promising to escalate discussions with New Delhi. Opposition leaders seized the moment to criticize what they called the "continued neglect of Punjab's food growers." Medical reports indicated Dallewal had lost significant weight and was suffering from dangerously low blood pressure when he agreed to suspend his fast.  

As the veteran leader begins his recovery at a Chandigarh hospital, farmer unions across North India are mobilizing for what they warn could be their largest demonstration yet next month. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha announced plans to blockade major highways if their demands remain unaddressed, signaling that while Dallewal's personal hunger strike has ended, the simmering discontent in India's agricultural heartland continues unabated.