Supreme Court Urges Peaceful Resolution in Punjab Farmers' Protest

The Supreme Court has urged Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal to encourage peaceful protests without obstructing highways. Dallewal, initially removed from his protest site, returned to join a fast-unto-death to demand farmers' rights. The court noted the legitimacy of their issues in a pending matter.

In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Monday urged farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, protesting at Punjab's Khanauri border, to advise his followers to conduct peaceful demonstrations without obstructing highways.

The bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan addressed a habeas corpus petition concerning Dallewal, who was temporarily removed from the Khanauri site on November 26, only to be released shortly thereafter. The court acknowledged his role in persuading a fellow protestor to end their hunger strike.

The farmers, camped at the Punjab-Haryana border since mid-February, accuse the government of neglecting their demands, including legal MSP guarantees and compensations. While the court refused to entertain Dallewal's current petition, it emphasized the importance of lawful demonstrations.

(With inputs from agencies.)