Rail Roko: Farmers To Block Tracks On Monday 'If Union Minister Ajay Mishra Is Not Removed'

“Our intention is to convey to the government that the agitation will continue until the minister is removed,” Harvinder Singh, president of BKU’s Uttarakhand youth unit, said.

The farmers had been squatting on the rail tracks in Amritsar since March 4 in support of their demands, including full loan waiver, stopping auction of land and arrest of farmers, and payment for sugarcane crop with 15 per cent interest. / PTI IMAGE

New Delhi: Farmers have decided to stage a blockade in every district on October 18, 2021, protesting "inaction" against Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) was reported as saying on Thursday. 

“Between 10 am and 4 pm on Monday, protesters will stop trains across the country,” Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said at a private event in Aligarh on Thursday, according to a report in Times of India.

Mishra's son Ashish Mishra was arrested last week in connection with the October 3 Lakimpur Kheri incident in which the minister's convoy allegedly mowed down protesters, leaving four farmers dead. At least four more persons died in the clashes that followed.     

Farmers want Mishra dropped as Union MoS as they accuse him of "conspiracy".  

Explaining the plan, Tikait said: “Farmers from every district will stage blockades on their nearest rail lines. Minister Mishra has been accused of criminal conspiracy but he has not been summoned, nor has he been asked to step down. His son was arrested but after a lot of delays. We won’t get justice if he remains in office. So, unless he is sacked, we are going ahead with our rail roko.”

According to the ToI report, the preparation for the rail roko protest has already begun but the final details will be decided on Friday, as the protest is to be held on Monday.

“In Punjab, we have identified 36 points for our blockade. We will make sure no train from any state passes through these points,” said Jagmohan Singh, state general secretary of BKU (Dakaunda) in Punjab who is also a working member of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee.

Meanwhile, in UP’s Mathura, about 600 people have been asked to gather at Raya station and nearly 400 at Mathura junction to block trains, said Raj Kumar Tomar, district president of BKU (Ambavata) in Mathura. He said this was decided during a district-level meeting.

“Police have deployed PAC outside villages. We think it’s with the protest in mind.”

Harvinder Singh, president of the BKU’s Uttarakhand youth unit, told ToI: “Our intention is to convey to the government that the agitation will continue until the minister is removed.”