Modi govt stands with farmers like protective shield: Amit Shah

The Narendra Modi government stands with farmers like a protective shield and it has reiterated this resolve on the very first day of 2025, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday.

Shah's comments came after the Union cabinet announced a one-time package to subsidise key fertiliser DAP at the cost of up to Rs 3,850 crore and approved a one-year extension of two crop-insurance schemes.

"The Modi government stands with farmers like a protective shield and today, on the very first day of 2025, it has reiterated this resolve. The decision of additional subsidy on DAP will ensure that DAP is available to our farmers at a reasonable price even if its prices increase in the international markets. Thanks to Modiji for this special package," he wrote in a post in Hindi on X.

The home minister said a meeting of the cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Modi, has approved an amount of Rs 69,515.71 crore to continue the PM Crop Insurance Scheme, which keeps millions of farmers free from the worry of crop loss. Additionally, the Fund for Innovation and Technology (FIAT) was also approved at a cost of Rs 824.77 crore, he said.

The Punjab government on Wednesday continued with its efforts to persuade farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal to take medical aid, with former additional DGP Jaskaran Singh saying discussions in this regard were also held with farmer leaders.

Over the past few days, a state government's team led by Jaskaran Singh has made several attempts to convince Dallewal, whose indefinite hunger strike completed 37 days today, to take medical help, but so far he has refused.

Earlier, the apex court gave the Punjab government time until December 31 to persuade Dallewal to shift to a hospital, granting the state the liberty to seek logistical support from the Centre, if necessary.

On Tuesday, a vacation bench of justices Surya Kant and Sudhanshu Dhulia took note of a plea moved by Punjab government seeking an additional three days to comply with SC's 20 December order. The top court had posted the matter on 2 January for the compliance of its order on shifting of Dallewal to a hospital.

The Punjab government had informed the vacation bench that Dallewal agreed for medical aid given the Centre accepted his proposal to hold talks. On 28 December, the top court came down heavily on the Punjab government for not moving Dallewal to a hospital even as it doubted the intention of the agitating farmers for resisting availability of medical aid to their septuagenarian leader.

On 20 December, the apex court put the onus on Punjab government officials and doctors to decide on Dallewal's hospitalisation.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday evening after meeting Dallewal at the Khanauri border during the day, retired Punjab Police officer Jaskaran Singh said, "We talked to him regarding his health. We had conducted his blood tests a few days back. We again appealed to him if he does not want to break his fast, at least he should take medical aid." Jaskaran Singh also held two rounds of meetings with farmer leaders.