Why Punjab farmers are holding 3-day 'rail roko' starting today
What's the story
Several farmers' organizations have organized a three-day rail blockade in Punjab over their demands for financial aid for flood-related damages, a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), and debt waivers. With the backing of 19 different farmers' groups, the "rail roko" protests are allegedly ongoing at 12 locations across the state. So, here is all you need to know about the three-day blockade!
Details
Details on 'rail roko' protest in Punjab
According to PTI, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher revealed that the move came after a key gathering of representatives hailing from 19 distinct farmers' groups. It is learned that the rail blockade is taking place at 12 locations in Punjab, including Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Moga, Jalandhar, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Sangrur, Patiala, Amritsar, and Bathinda. Notably, Punjab saw two major instances of flooding in July and August that claimed 41 lives and destroyed thousands of acres of paddy.
Twitter Post
Visuals from Thursday's rail blockade
#WATCH | Punjab | Farmers, under the aegis of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, sit on railway tracks as they stage a 'Rail Roko Andolan' over their demands, including Committee for MSP, withdrawal of cases regarding agitation in Delhi and compensation & jobs for families of… pic.twitter.com/fy9t6XieHH
— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2023
Insights
Farmers' associations from other states also support cause
Speaking to ANI on Thursday about the rail roko agitation, Pandher stated, "There are many issues including the MSP guarantee, and cases against farmers during Delhi protests not being taken back and other issues." "Forget about farmers' income being doubled, our expenses have risen two-three times," he added. Furthermore, farmers' associations from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh have also shown support for the agitation.
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You can watch Pandher's remarks here
#WATCH | Punjab farmers to begin 'rail-roko' protest at noon at Devi Dass Pura in Amritsar
— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2023
Sarwan Singh Pandher, general secretary, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab says," Rail roko will begin across Punjab for three days today. There are many issues including the MSP… pic.twitter.com/fqj2izYA2T
Delhi
More on cases against farmers during Delhi protest
The demand that cases filed against farmers during the Delhi protests be taken back goes back to 2020 when farmers protested for over 15 months against the (now scrapped) three farm laws. They ended their protests in November 2021 after PM Narendra Modi announced that the government would repeal them. During the agitation, FIRs were lodged against 1.48 lakh farmers in various states. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait claimed that about 750 farmers also died in the movement.
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List of farmers' organizations backing rail blockade
Reportedly, the supporting farmers' organizations include the likes of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Azaad), Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari), Kisan Mahapanchayat (Haryana), Bharti Kisan Union (Behramke), and Azaad Kisan Committee Doaba. Other organizations like Bharti Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh), Bharti Kisan Union (Chottu Ram), Pagri Sambhal Jatta (Haryana), Progressive Farmer Front (Uttar Pradesh), and the Rashtriya Kisan Sangathan (Himachal Pradesh) have also extended their support.
What Next?
Maharashtra farmers also stage protest
Just a few days earlier, nearly 100 farmers staged a rail roko agitation in the Sangli district of Maharashtra over issues related to the acquisition of land by the Indian Railways. They alleged that the Railways had encroached on their land, and as such, they should "opt for land acquisition" and compensate them. Protesters shut down the Kolhapur-Gondia Maharashtra Express for more than four hours in the Nandre-Bhilwadi area under the Palus tehsil.