Chandigarh, Jan 3 Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Friday that the health of fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal "is critical and the BJP government should try to end the fast by accepting demands and giving up its stubborn attitude".
Hooda told the media that Dallewal's life "is precious for everyone because he's not fasting for personal interest but for the legitimate demands of the farmers".
Farmers have been protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border in Khanauri, demanding a legal guarantee for a minimum support price for crops.
Dallewal's indefinite hunger strike entered its 39th day.
A high-level team of Punjab government officials have met Dallewal several times, urging him to accept medical treatment despite his ongoing fast.
Two-time Chief Minister Hooda said the demands of the farmers are completely legitimate and many years old.
"The BJP itself had ended the farmer movement by promising the minimum support price (MSP). Farmers are reminding the government of its promise," he added.
"The Congress has been in favour of giving MSP to the farmers under the Swaminathan formula since the beginning. The BJP had also promised to double the income of farmers by implementing the Swaminathan report, but after coming to power, it forgot its promise and instead of doubling the income of farmers, it increased its cost manifold," he said.
Hooda added that apart from the Congress, no other party thinks about the interests of farmers, they only do politics in the name of farmers.
"Today, the Union Agriculture Minister is writing a letter to the Aam Aadmi Party government, but the BJP itself does not give the benefits to farmers in states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, which the farmers of Haryana got during the Congress tenure," he said.
"The Congress government had given electricity to the farmers of Haryana at 10 paise per unit, the cheapest rate in the country. But such concessional rates are not applicable in any BJP-ruled state," he added.
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