E-Paper
Farmers block train routes during ‘rail roko’ protest in Punjab
The farmers are carrying out their 'rail roko' agitation under the call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
Farmers in Punjab blocked train routes at several places on Wednesday to press the Centre into accepting their various demands, including a legally binding minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
The farmers launched the 'rail roko' agitation under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha.
Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Wednesday farmers have been squatting on rail tracks at many places from noon and will continue to be there till 3 pm.
The rail roko protest by farmers was supposed to be held in Moga, Faridkot, Kadian and Batala in Gurdaspur; Phillaur in Jalandhar; Tanda, Dasuya, Mahilpur in Hoshiarpur; Makhu, Talwandi Bhai in Ferozepur; Sahnewal in Ludhiana; Shambhu in Patiala; Mohali, and Sunam and Lehra in Sangrur, according to a news agency PTI report.
Farmers' protest
Farmers under the banner of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
Farmers have made failed attempts to resume their march multiple times in December, with teargas firing by the police at the Shambhu border coming on their way. A "jatha" (group) of 101 farmers made three attempts to enter Delhi on foot on December 6, December 8 and again on December 14.
For the past three weeks, Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops.
Apart from a legal guarantee on MSP for crops, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in the electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands.
