The Supreme Court on Friday expressed concern over the condition of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite hunger strike, and directed the Punjab Government to ensure he was given medical assistance. A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Sudhanshu Dhulia issued a notice to the Punjab government on a contempt petition against its chief secretary and the director general of police (DGP) for non-compliance of an order directing medical aid to Dallewal.

 "If there is a law and order situation, you have to deal with it with iron hands. Somebody's life is at stake. You need to take it seriously. Medical aid has to be given and the impression is that you are not following it," the bench said. The top court directed the State Government to file a compliance report by December 28, when it would again hear the matter and ordered the Punjab chief secretary and the DGP to virtually remain present during the hearing.

During the hearing, Punjab Advocate General (AG) Gurminder Singh submitted a delegation of eight cabinet ministers along with the Punjab DGP visited the protest site to convince Dallewal to move to a hospital but the farmers resisted it.  "We have provided everything on site. If there is physical jostling, we cannot take that risk," he added.

The bench however responded, "We have serious doubts about those farmers, those who are not conscious and aware and concerned about his life." The AG said the State Government was "very earnestly" following up on the issue.  When the bench wondered if the Centre could offer assistance to the State Government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said its interference might lead to complications. "Few people cannot keep him (Dallewal) hostage. One man's life is in danger. The State Government can take measures," said Mehta.

The Punjab AG informed the bench when the Ministers' delegation went to meet Dallewal on December 24, he gave a letter addressed to the Prime Minister.  "He says, if some dialogue is opened up, only then he is willing to cooperate with medical assistance," Singh said. Mehta said Dallewal's admission in a hospital should be the top priority. Dallewal has been on an indefinite fast at the Khanauri border since November 26 to press the Centre to accept the farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops.

On December 20, the top court left it to the Punjab government officials and doctors to decide on the hospitalisation of Dallewal. The court had said 70-year-old Dallewal could be moved to the makeshift hospital setup within 700 metre of the protest site at Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana.

The bench on December 19 referred to civil rights activist Irom Sharmila continuing her protest for more than a decade under medical supervision and asked the Punjab government to convince Dallewal for a health examination. It had pulled up the state for not running medical tests on Dallewal.