Farmer protest disrupts rail traffic

Railway services were partially disrupted and passengers remained stranded as the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) started a ‘rail roko’ stir to mark the third anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. In 2021, eight persons, including four farmers, were killed during a protest against the now-repealed three farm laws.

Scores of passengers were seen stranded at the Rajpura railway station as farmers staged protests at the Shambhu border. Besides, seeking justice for the victims of the incident, they pressed for their demand of legal guarantee on MSP.

In Patiala, farmer leader Ranjit Singh said the protest started around 12.30 noon and ended at 2.30 pm.

While Patiala is not a major train junction, the agitation impeded the journey of some passengers. Joginder Singh, who was travelling to Delhi said, “The train has been rescheduled to 4 pm due to the protest.” He said commuting to Delhi or other parts of the country had become a tedious task as the Haryana Police had plugged the highway to stop the farmers from reaching Delhi. Trains had become the only alternative for a middle-class commuter like himself, he added.

The protesting farmers said that as promised during the Delhi protests, the agriculture sector should be exempted from pollution laws. The daily wage under MGNREGA should be increased and extended to 200 days. They further stated that if these demands were not fulfilled the movement would be intensified.