New Delhi- On Sunday, farmers in Punjab staged a 'rail roko' protest as part of their ongoing agitation, demanding the acceptance of their key demands, notably a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP).
The protest, organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, aimed to exert pressure on the central government to address the concerns of the farming community. Farmers from various districts, including Amritsar, Ludhiana, Tarn Taran, Hoshiarpur, Firozpur, Fazilka, Sangrur, Mansa, Moga, and Bathinda, participated in the demonstration, blocking railway tracks at more than fifty five locations across Punjab.
Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, several farmers were allegedly detained by the police in Dabwali and Ellenabad in Haryana as they attempted to reach the protest sites.
Similar reports of detentions were received from Dausa in Rajasthan. In Punjab, the protest commenced at noon and continued until 4 pm, disrupting rail services in the region.
The Mooknayak spoke with Harvinder Singh, a protesting farmer who has been sitting on the tracks of Gurdaspur Railway Station since 12:00 PM in the afternoon. “We will be leaving the tracks at 4:00 PM, according to the decision taken by the union members. We have been successful in cancellation and delaying of trains that were supposed to run within the time frame,” revealed the protestor.
Singh informed that hundreds of people had joined them in the station and thousands of protestors had accumulated in various districts all over the state of Punjab. In every district where protests took place, District Commissioners met the demonstrators and gave them assurances of action.
According to the farmer, the DC of Gurdaspur said that the government has already ensured farmers get the Minimum Support Price for 5 crops. They will assure that the price for the rest is received by all of the farmers. Revealing the reason for the ‘Rail Roko Andolan’ Singh said that it was primarily undertaken to call farmers to engage at Shambhu border so that they can be inspired to join the fight.
For now, the farmers union have decided to hold more meetings before a decision is taken regarding marching towards the national capital.
A total of 49 trains were affected, with nine trains being canceled and eight others being short-terminated. Additionally, 26 trains were regulated after 4 pm, causing delays for passengers. Among the canceled trains were inter-city services such as Fazilka to Bathinda, Bathinda to Fazilka, Dera Baba Nanak to Verka, Verka to Dera Baba Nanak, Jalandhar to Hoshiarpur, Hoshiarpur to Jalandhar, Jalandhar to Pathankot, Pathankot to Verka, and Verka to Pathankot. Furthermore, long-route trains were among those that faced delays due to the protest.
The 'rail roko' protest was part of the farmers' broader agitation, which seeks to address various issues affecting the farming community, including the implementation of MSP and the resolution of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
Despite facing obstacles, the farmers remain steadfast in their demands, demonstrating their commitment to securing their rights and fair treatment from the government. As the protest continues, tensions between farmers and authorities persist, highlighting the ongoing challenges in resolving the longstanding grievances of the agricultural sector.
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