SC raps Punjab government over medical aid to Dallewal, defers hearing till January 6
PTC News Desk: The Supreme Court on Thursday has deferred the hearing in farmer leader jagjit Singh Dallewal's case till January 6. The court has given Punjab government extension to comply with its December 20 order of providing median aid and hospitalising Dallewal.
The court also reprimanded Punjab government for misinterpreting court's order regarding Dallewal's health. Justice Kant expressed dissatisfaction and said that Court's intentions were misinterpreted as a direction to stop Dallewal's hunger strike and blamed the media and the State officials for spreading the wrong impression.
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan clarified that shifting Dallewal to hospital does not mean that he should break his fast and that he can continue his hunger strike under medical aid. The bench reprimanded the Punjab Government, saying that its attitude was against reconciliation, and stressed that the State must impress upon Dallewal that he can continue his fast under medical support.
"There is a deliberate attempt in the media by your State (Punjab) government officers to give an impression that the Court is pressuring him (Dallewal) to break the fast. Our directions were not to break his fast. We just said let his health be taken care of and then his fast can go on. Shifting to hospital does not mean fast is broken. Our concern is no harm to his life. His life is precious as a farm leader. He is not aligned to any political ideologies, he is only taking the farmers' cause," the Court remarked.
The court has further asked the Punjab government to submit affidavit till January 13 over Dallewal's hospitalisation in compliance with December 20 order.
- PTC NEWS
