New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred till January 2 the hearing on a contempt plea seeking action against the Chief Secretary of Punjab for not complying with its earlier orders, where the Punjab government was directed to hospitalise farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal. The 70-year-old cancer patient has been fasting at Khanauri, the border point between Punjab and Haryana, since November 26 in support of their long-pending demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, loan waiver and reforms to improve conditions in the agricultural sector. A Vacation Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant decided to defer the hearing after Punjab’s Advocate General (AG) Gurminder Singh sought additional time to comply with its December 20 decision, where the Punjab government was directed to ensure the stable health condition of Dallewal, who is on a fast unto death.

“It is entirely the responsibility of the State of Punjab to ensure the stable health condition of Mr Jagjit Singh Dallewal, for which if he requires hospitalisation, the authorities must ensure to do so. The State Government, therefore, will take a call as to whether Mr Dallewal can be shifted to the makeshift hospital (temporary hospital, which is said to have been set up at a distance of 700 metres from the site) or to any other well-equipped hospital,” the SC had ordered. AG Gurminder Singh submitted before Justice Kant-led Bench that a proposal has been submitted before the Union government stating that if the protesting farmers are invited to hold talks, Dallewal will likely accept medical aid.

Adjourning the hearing to January 2, 2025, the Bench, also comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, said that it was only concerned with the compliance of its judicial orders and nothing else. In a special sitting on Saturday, the top court pulled up the Punjab government over its failure to ensure the stable health condition of Dallewal. After the Punjab government stated that other protesting farmers were obstructing the medical aid to Dallewal, Justice Kant-led Bench suggested that it could direct the Union government to provide logistical aid.

The apex court ordered the Punjab Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) to comply with its directions within two days and posted the matter for hearing on December 31. It cautioned that if orders are not followed, the Supreme Court will consider framing charges of contempt of court against the officials on the next date of listing. Earlier, the Supreme Court had issued notice on a plea seeking contempt action against the Chief Secretary of Punjab for not complying with the apex court’s orders. It said, “Medical aid has to be given (to Dallewal) and the impression is that you (Punjab authorities) are not following our orders.” Expressing concern over Dallewal's life and safety, it had ordered the Punjab government to comply with its direction to get him hospitalised.

Before this, the Justice Kant-led Bench said that protesting farmers were free to put their grievances directly before the top court after it was told that the farmer leaders did not attend the meeting with the court-appointed panel. Remarking that the court's doors were always open, it said that farmers could put forth their demands directly before the apex court or through their authorised representative.

In September, the Supreme Court ordered the formation of a committee to amicably resolve the grievances of the farmers protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border. It had suggested the panel headed by Justice Nawab Singh, a former judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court, to hold negotiations with the protesting farmers for the removal of their tractors, trolleys, etc., from the National Highway for the ease of the general public. Further, the apex court had granted liberty to farmers to shift their peaceful protests to an alternative site. Apart from Justice Nawab Singh, the panel comprised former Haryana DGP B.S. Sandhu, agricultural analyst Devender Sharma, Prof Ranjit Singh Ghuman, agricultural economist Dr Sukhpal Singh, and Prof Baldev Raj Kamboj as a special invitee.

/IANS