Kohar, opposing the Punjab government’s claims, said Dalvar made it clear that he would only fetch water after all the farmers were released.
“Dallewal drank a glass of water after the peasant leader was released,” said Kohar, close-range assistant of Dallewal. “We want to make it clear that this is a false impression given that Dallewal’s indefinite ends. His hunger strike is still going on.”
Punjab advocate Gurminder Singh told the Supreme Court on Friday that they dispersed farmers protesting with Haryana on March 19, protesting at the Khanauri and Shambhu border points and opening roads and highways blocked due to sitting posture.
The protest farmers and some of their leaders were also detained by Punjab police that day.
Another farmer leader, Kaka Singh Kotra, also said on Saturday that when Dallewal knew of detaining farmers, he refused to get water until they were all released. Cotra said the farmers were released and fetched water. Dallewal (70) is a senior leader of the joint forums of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. On November 26 last year, he began an indefinite hunger strike to urge the center to accept their requests, including legal guarantees, to provide the minimum support price (MSP) of crops.
The centre invited farmers’ leaders to meet in January, Dallewal began receiving medical assistance at the Khanauri protest site, but did not quickly end his speed.
Several peasant leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher, Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra and other leaders, were detained on Friday during the police operation on March 19.
Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Pandher was released from Muktsar prison, while Kohar, Kotra and some other peasant leaders were released from Patiala Central prison.
After their release, they met Dalevar at the hospital on Friday.
The peasant leaders were detained on March 19 when they were returning with the central delegation meeting of the Chandigarh Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Meetings are organized to discuss farmers’ requirements, especially MSP guarantees. After the meeting, when the resigned farmers entered Mohali, they encountered heavy obstacles, with some of their leaders detained.
Police expelled farmers and demolished temporary buildings from the Chamborg and Khanauri border points. Vehicle traffic has resumed on the Chanborough-Barbara and Sanger Gied motorways.
Several farmers were part of the protests in Chambert and Hanori, who claimed their property included a trolley, adding that they might have been stolen.
