Farmers' ‘Rail Roko’ To Cause Train Disruptions Today. Punjab, Haryana Heighten Security
The nationwide ‘rail roko’ agitation is expected to see hundreds of farmers protesting in approximately 60 locations across Haryana and Punjab, causing potential disruptions to train services.
Farmers, who resumed their march towards Delhi on March 6, will stage a nationwide ‘rail roko’ agitation for four hours on Sunday. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have organised the protest to continue pressing their demands to the Centre. The ‘rail roko’ protest, scheduled from 12 pm to 4 pm, follows the recent ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
Ahead of the agitation, the Punjab police have tightened the security by deploying about 150 personnel in Devidaspura, Amritsar.
#WATCH | DSP Rural Inderjeet Singh says, "Farmer organisations have announced a 'Rail Roko' from 12 noon to 4 pm today. In this regard, around 150 personnel are on duty here to see that the law and order doesn't get affected..." https://t.co/AQsPejNLC6 pic.twitter.com/pDx92IN3WF
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2024
All About Farmers' ‘Rail Roko’ Protest Today:
The nationwide ‘rail roko’ agitation is expected to see hundreds of farmers protesting in approximately 60 locations across Haryana and Punjab, causing potential disruptions to train services.
Sarwan Singh Pandher, a leader of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, stated that during the ‘rail roko’ protest, hundreds of farmers will sit on railway tracks at various places in Punjab, including Ferozepur, Amritsar, Rupnagar, and Gurdaspur districts.
#WATCH | Punjab: Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher says, "..Until our demands are met, we will continue our protest. We will stop trains for 4 hours from 12 noon to 4 pm today. We have nothing to do with the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct as when we started this… pic.twitter.com/Q9LNag7fda
— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2024
Farmers' bodies like Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), Bharti Kisan Union (Dakaunda-Dhaner), and Krantikari Kisan Union, all part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, will also participate in the ‘rail roko’ agitation. Security measures have been heightened at all borders in anticipation of the ‘rail roko’ protest.
In Haryana, authorities have imposed Section 144 in Ambala district on Sunday to prevent potential disturbances, and police have been deployed in sensitive areas.
The protest may impact inter-city and state train schedules. Last month, the Delhi-Amritsar route experienced delays due to farmers holding a sit-in protest on the tracks.
Farm leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, calling for the ‘Rail Roko’ protest, stated that farmers will intensify their agitation at existing protest points until their demands are met.
Dallewal urged the Centre not to evade its responsibility of providing legal guarantee for MSP on all crops, emphasizing the enactment of a law on MSP to safeguard farmers under the "C2 plus 50 per cent" formula recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.
VIDEO | Here's what farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said at a press conference in Chandigarh.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 9, 2024
"The (central) government should not run away from its responsibility and bring a law to guarantee MSP to save the farmers and the nation. The two forums (KMM and SKM -… pic.twitter.com/uF5zpivWVy
Dallewal also called for Punjab panchayats to pass resolutions supporting farmers' demands, highlighting the Centre's attempts to obstruct the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march.
The farmers' protest, initiated on February 13 with the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, involves over 200 farmers' unions, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, urging the Centre to address their demands.
Why Are Farmers Protesting?
The protesting farmers demanded a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP), a condition set in 2021 when they agreed to withdraw their agitation against the now-repealed farm laws. Other demands include the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases, justice for victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act - 2013, and compensation to families of farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21
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