Punjab Farmers’ ‘rail roko’ protest hits train movement; check affected routes, services

The SKM and the KMM are leading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers to push the government to accept their demands including the legal guarantee for MSP on crops.

Hoshiarpur: Train services across Punjab were disrupted on Thursday as farmers staged a two-hour ‘rail roko’ protest to voice their demands, including justice for the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The protest was organized by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha which began at 12:30 pm.

The protest marked the third anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which eight people, including four farmers lost their lives during the protest against the now appealed three farm laws. It marked the third anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed in 2021 during a demonstration against the now-repealed three farm laws.

The protesting farmers are also demanding a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP) on crops, loan waivers, the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, and the punishment for those responsible for the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

In Amritsar, the farmers blocked the Amritsar-Delhi railway line near Manawala station, causing several trains to be diverted. The convener of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), Sarwan Singh Pandher demanded justice for the Lakhimpur Kheri victims and accused both state and central governments of ignoring farmers’ longstanding demands. He called for the immediate release of pending arrears to sugarcane farmers and a guarantee on MSP.

The SKM and the KMM are leading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by farmers to push the government to accept their demands including the legal guarantee for MSP on crops. Since February 13, the protesters have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana, after being stopped by the security forces. 

In Hoshiarpur, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) workers led by the state vice president Gurwinder Singh blocked the railroad crossing at Mandiala village on the Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar rail track. The officials confirmed that a passenger train en route to Jalandhar from Hoshiarpur was halted at Nasrala railway station. In addition to that, several members of the Kisan Mazdoor Hitkari Sabha marched from the grain market to the railway station in Bhangala in Jalandhar district, staging a protest on the Jalandhar-Jammu rail section 

Elsewhere, members of the Kisan Mazdoor Hitkari Sabha marched from a grain market to the railway station in Bhangala, Jalandhar district, staging a protest on the Jalandhar-Jammu rail section and stopping a goods train headed to Pathankot at Mukerian station, causing a goods train en route to Pathankot to halt at Mukerian railway station.

In Tanda, district president Paramjit Singh Bhulla led a protest on the rail tracks with the members of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, while members of the Ganna Sangharsh Committee held “Dharna” at Dasuya railway station. 

While in Ludhiana, farmers blocked the tracks at Sahnewal and Phillaur railway stations, halting the Durg-Udhampur and New Delhi-Lohian Khas express trains. While other trains, such as the Amarpali-Katiyar Express and Indore-Katra Express, were stopped at Khanna and Doraha stations.

(With PTI Inputs)