Punjab farmers have begun a 3-day ‘rail roko’ (rail blockade) agitation across the state starting Thursday, September 28th. The protest aims to press the central government on several demands, including debt waiver and legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP).

Contents hide
1. Demands of Protesting Farmers
2. Widespread Support Across Northern States
3. Mass Disruption of Railways in Punjab
4. Political Reactions

Demands of Protesting Farmers

The agitation has been called by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), an umbrella group representing 19 farmers’ unions in Punjab. Their key demands include:

  • Financial relief package of Rs 50,000 crore for flood-affected states like Punjab
  • Permanent solution to issues like Ghaggar river flooding
  • MSP guarantee for all crops through legislation
  • Compensation for crop damage, cattle deaths, property damage due to floods
  • One-year waiver on all farm loans and interest

Sarwan Singh Pandher, KMSC General Secretary, stated these issues require the central government’s urgent intervention.

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Widespread Support Across Northern States

While Punjab farmers form the majority, the ‘rail roko’ has received backing from farmers’ bodies across Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Some organizations supporting the agitation include Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur), Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, and Jai Kisan Andolan (Haryana).

This highlights the growing solidarity among farmers’ groups across northern India.

Mass Disruption of Railways in Punjab

The protesting farmers have blocked railway tracks at 12 locations across Punjab including Moga, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran, Sangrur, Patiala, Ferozepur, Bathinda and Amritsar.

Train operations have been suspended on routes like Jalandhar-Amritsar, Tarn Taran-Amritsar and Ferozepur-Ludhiana. Many long-distance trains passing through the state have also been affected.

Officials say the agitation has led to cancellation, diversion and rescheduling of over 30 trains so far.

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Political Reactions

Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party government has appealed to the protesters to not inconvenience the general public. However, it also urged the central government to promptly address the farmers’ issues.

Some experts say the protests reflect growing dissatisfaction among Punjab farmers who’ve been economically hit by crop damage due to recent floods. With state elections due next year, opposition parties may criticize the AAP government’s handling of the situation.

The ‘rail roko’ agitation is slated to continue till September 30. Farmer leaders have asserted it will be peaceful, while minimizing public inconvenience. However, the disruption is likely to continue affecting train services in Punjab and neighboring states over the next few days.

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