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Farmers lay siege to rail tracks, toll plazas in Punjab
A total of 43 trains on the key Delhi-Amritsar route were affected in Ambala and Ferozepur divisions
Six trains were cancelled, 18 diverted, nine short terminated and 10 short originated or rescheduled on the Delhi-Amritsar route on Thursday after farmers squatted on tracks at many places in Punjab over the Haryana Police’s action against ‘Delhi Chalo’ protesters.
Farmers also staged dharnas at several toll plazas and forced authorities to not charge the commuters a toll fee.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) had given the call for a four-hour “rail roko” protest at several places in Punjab.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the “Delhi Chalo” agitation to put pressure on the Centre for their demands, including a law on minimum support price (MSP) for crops and loan waivers.
On Tuesday, farmers had clashed with Haryana Police at two border points, Shambhu and Khanauri, facing tear gas and water cannons as they tried to break the barricades blocking their protest march to the national capital.
Farmers began their “rail roko” stir around noon on Thursday by squatting on tracks at several places and the demonstrations continued till 3pm.
According to a railways spokesperson, the Shatabdi and Shan-e-Punjab Express trains coming from Delhi were terminated at the Ludhiana railway station.
In a release issued by the Ferozepur division of the railways, four trains, including Ferozepur Cantt-Fazilka (up and down), Lohian Khas-Phillaur (up and down) were cancelled due to farmers’ protest. It said that seven trains were short terminated, including Ludhiana-Chheharta, Ludhiana-Ferozepur Cantt, Bathinda-Fazilka, Katihar-Amritsar, New Delhi-Amritsar, Fazilka-Ferozepur Cantt, while 10 trains were rerouted or short originated.
Naveen Kumar, senior divisional commercial manager, Ambala railway division, said two trains were cancelled, six diverted via Ludhiana-Sahnewal-Chandigarh route and two were short terminated.
Meanwhile, on the call of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), farmers also staged demonstrations at several toll plazas to protest against the police action against farmers at the Punjab-Haryana borders.
They also forced the toll authorities to let go the commuters without charging them a toll fee.
“We are holding an agitation against the police action on farmers who were trying to go to Delhi,” said BKU leader Harmit Singh Kadian.
In Hoshiarpur, farmers staged protests at two toll plazas on the Jalandhar-Pathankot National Highway.
Farmers led by state president of Doaba Kisan Committee (DKC) Jangveer Singh Chauhan gathered at the toll plazas at Cholang and Harse Mansar and staged dharnas there.
They raised slogans against the Union government and the Haryana government, demanding justice for farmers.
Farmers also blocked railway tracks and made toll plazas free for three hours in south Malwa districts of Punjab.
The protesters blocked railway tracks in Bathinda, Mansa and Moga districts.
Members of BKU (Krantikari) protested at toll plazas in Bathinda district for three hours. BKU (Dakaunda) blocked railway tracks at Jehtuke and Bhucho Mandi in the district.
BKU (Dakaunda) leader Gurdeep Singh said: “Instead of fulfilling our demands, police are using force on protesters at the Haryana border,” he said.
In Moga and Mansa districts, leaders of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) blocked the railway tracks and made toll plazas free.
Similar protests were witnessed in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts where farmers laid siege to railway tracks on the key Delhi-Amritsar line near Wallah Sabzi Mandi.
Farmer bodies associated with SKM also held protest at Manawala toll plaza on National Highway 1 near Amritsar from 11am to 2pm.
