Punjab: Farm leaders plan mega event on May 23 to mark 100 days of ‘Dilli Chalo’ protest

Tribune News Service

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, April 24

As the Dilli Chalo protest at Shambhu and Khanauri borders entered 71st day, the farmer leaders have decided to hold a mega protest on completion of its 100 days on May 23.

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said today that a massive rally will be conducted at Shambhu and Khanauri border to mark 100 days of farmer protest.

He said that Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM Non-Political) has urged farmers from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal, Uttarakhand and Punjab to participate in the protest to press the BJP-led Centre Government for various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

The appeal for a massive congregation on both Shambhu and Khanauri borders could escalate tension in the run-up elections. The voting in Punjab are scheduled to take place on June 1.

Standoff between farmers and Haryana police continues since February 21, when Haryana Police fired tear gas shells to disperse farmers from Punjab who were attempting to move towards barricades. Several farmers were injured, among them was 21-year-old Shubhkaran Singh, who was allegedly shot dead during the protest. A High Court judge-led committee is probing the death of Shubhkaran Singh.

Rs 42.48 lakh loss to Railways

On the other hand, the persistent ‘Rail Roko’ protest staged by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha at Shambhu railway station near Rajpura continues to throw railway operations into disarray, inflicting significant financial losses on the national carrier.

According to reports shared by the Ferozepur Division of Northern Railways, the railway has refunded over Rs 42.48 lakh in the passenger train segment from April 17 to April 23.

The disruption has been felt keenly, with approximately 44 passenger trains remaining cancelled on Wednesday.

As many as 7,815 passengers were affected and subsequently received refunds for their disrupted travel plans till Tuesday.

Moreover, the protest has forced railway authorities to divert 64 trains from their usual routes, causing further logistical challenges and inconveniences for passengers.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, five trains have been terminated prematurely due to the ongoing demonstration, compounding the operational challenges faced by railway officials.

Expressing concern over the prolonged disruption, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Ferozepur, Ramandeep Singh highlighted the adverse impact of the protest on railway operations and the inconvenience caused to passengers relying on train services.

The tussle had appeared following the arrest of three farmers in Haryana. The farmers are demanding the release of three fellow protesters —Navdeep Singh, Anish Khatkar and Gurkirat Singh — who were arrested in February and March by the Haryana Police.

The protesting farmer leaders have also demanded that a special girdawari be conducted by the state government to assess the loss of crops due to hailstorms that lashed many parts of the state on Friday and interim compensation should be released for the affected farmers.

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