After Punjab, Haryana’s assurance, farmers postpone rail roko protest
Farmer unions said they had been assured that their demands would be resolved by April 16. “If demands are not met until 16, we will hold rail roko on April 17,” said farmer union leaders. The announcement to postpone the rail roko stir came after union leaders met senior officials from the Punjab and Haryana governments on Tuesday at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh.
After meeting officials of the Punjab and Haryana governments on Tuesday, farmer unions who have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders announced to postpone their ‘rail roko’ protest till April 16.
After meeting officials of the Punjab and Haryana governments on Tuesday, farmer unions who have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders announced to postpone their ‘rail roko’ protest till April 16. (HT File/)
Farmer unions said they had been assured that their demands would be resolved by April 16. “If demands are not met until 16, we will hold rail roko on April 17,” said farmer union leaders. The announcement to postpone the rail roko stir came after union leaders met senior officials from the Punjab and Haryana governments on Tuesday at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh.
Notably, farm leaders are demanding that the Haryana government should release farm activist Navdeep Jalbera and his aide, Gurkirat Shahpur. Both were arrested on February 28 near Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport of Mohali by Haryana Police in a murder bid case registered on February 13 in connection with the ongoing farmers’ agitation on the Haryana-Punjab border.
Along with this, farmer union leaders are demanding electricity and water facilities from the Punjab government at the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites.
Confirming the development, farmer union leader Amarjeet Singh Mohri, said, “We have been assured that our demands will be resolved soon. Officials of both the governments – Punjab and Haryana – sought some time to fulfil our demands. Therefore, we have postponed our Rail Roko until April 16.”