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Punjab farmers to stop trains at 52 places for 3 hours today
Farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) will block rail tracks from 12 noon to 3 pm at several locations in Punjab.
Rail services will be impacted in the state, on Wednesday, as protesting farmer unions will hold a state-wide ‘Rail Roko’ protest demanding a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) and other demands.
The protest is said to be held at 52 locations in 23 districts of the Punjab. Farmers will stage a sit-in on railway tracks for three hours – 12 to 3 PM.
The ‘rail roko’ is likely to have an impact on over 20 passenger trains under the Ambala division, officials said on Tuesday.
Convener of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), Sarwan Singh Pandher, while talking to HT, said that the people of Punjab should come out in large numbers to extend their support to the ongoing farmer agitation. They should participate in the Rail Roko protest so as to make it a people’s movement, he added.
“Sit-in protests will be only on railway crossings and stations. It will be a peaceful protest for three hours. We want to give a message to the Union government, which is not willing to hold talks with the farmer unions, that ongoing protest has already turned into a people’s agitation,” said Pandher.
Notably, protesting farmers unions – Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukta Kisan Union (Non-Political) - had announced ‘Rail Roko’ on December 14 after suspending their foot march to the national capital.
Mandeep Singh Bhatia, divisional railway manager, Ambala railway division said that the route diversion will be decided on the same day according to the points blocked.
“To minimise inconvenience to the passengers, trains will be regulated at major stations to ensure catering and drinking arrangements. Over 20 trains are likely to be impacted on the day. A help desk will be set up in the morning to help the passengers,” he added.
As per a list of blocking points issued by the KMM, farmers will lay siege at Shambhu railway station (Patiala district) and Sarsini railway station (SAS Nagar district) which suggests trains will not move beyond Ambala Cantonment station towards Chandigarh, Ludhiana or Bathinda.
Dallewal’s condition worries docs
Meanwhile, a team of government doctors has expressed concern over the deteriorating health of farmer leader Jagjeet Singh Dallewal, whose fast unto death entered its 22nd day on Tuesday.
A team of doctors from Government Rajindra Hospital once again advised him to seek immediate medical aid, but the veteran farmer leader refused.
“He is very weak as he is dehydrated. He should take immediate medical help. His blood test report is not good, and uric acid levels are elevated. He should also avoid meeting people at the protest site,” said a senior government doctor monitoring his health.
Following the doctors’ advice, Dallewal did not appear at the centre stage and addressed the protesters briefly on Tuesday.
Pandher urges people to join the protest
Pandher said Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s health condition is critical.
“Dallewal’s condition is critical; if anything happens, then the central government will be responsible for it,” Pandher cautioned.
“There is pressure from 140 crore Indians, 3 crore Punjabis, and 2.5 crore Haryanvis on the Modi government... We have 12 demands,” Pandher stated.
Cong MP raises Dallewal’s deteriorating health issue in LS
Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday morning moved an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the ongoing hunger strike by farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, which has entered its 21st day.
“Mr Dallewal, the president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), is in critical condition, with medical experts advising immediate hospitalisation due to his deteriorating health. Despite this he has refused medical intervention, insisting on continuing his hunger strike for the cause of farmers,” the Lok Sabha MP said in his notice.
He further urged the central government to take ‘immediate’ action and engage with the farmers’ representatives in a ‘meaningful’ dialogue.
Farmers not to meet SC-appointed panel on Dec 18: Dallewal
In a letter to former Punjab and Haryana high court judge Nawab Singh, who heads the committee, Dallewal said the two forums of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have decided that they won’t be able to meet the committee in the wake of his medical condition and the state of injured farmers at the Shambhu border.
He said they will hold talks regarding their demands only with the central government.
In the hearing on December 13, the apex court had said the committee would talk to the protesting farmers and make recommendations to the court which eventually be put to the stakeholders for a decision.
The SC-appointed panel invited the farmers to hold a meeting on December 18 in Haryana’s Panchkula.
In the letter on Tuesday, Dallewal wrote that he had been on a hunger strike since November 26 and his fast-unto-death has entered 22nd day on Tuesday.
He wrote that at least 40 farmers sustained injuries during the “police excesses” at the Shambhu border when they tried to march to Delhi on foot.
“Your committee was formed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court to restore trust between farmers and governments but you have not made any concrete effort for that till now nor did make any serious effort to negotiate with the central government to fulfill our legitimate demands,” he wrote.
“Our delegation met you on November 4, but despite such a serious situation, the committee has not yet found time to come to Khanauri and Shambhu. I am very sad to see that you have become active after so much delay.
Was this committee waiting for my death? We did not expect such insensitivity from all members of the committee,” wrote Dallewal. PTI
