Relief for train passengers as Punjab farmers to withdraw from railway tracks
Published: 20 May 2024 17:30:PM
Ludhiana: In a move which will bring major relief to people, specially train passengers, the farmers of the state have announced that they will end their ‘rail roko’ protest. The Samyukta Kisaan Morcha’s non-political wing has made the announcement of ending the protests and moving off the tracks.
Farmers to move off tracks at the Sambhu station
Reports said that by Monday evening farmers protesting on the railway tracks at the Shambhu Railway Station will move out and allow the smooth movement of trains. The farmers had been sitting on the tracks for the past month at this railway station. The station falls near the Shambhu border.
Due to this farmers protest, the Delhi-Jammu rail route was badly affected. While several trains had to be cancelled, many others were diverted on other routes. On May 22, when the protest completes 100 days at the Shambhu and Khanauri border, several farmers will gather at the place and morchas will be enlarged, said the Samyukta Kisaan Morcha.
Why are farmers protesting?
The farmers have been sitting on the railway tracks at the Shambhu railway station, lying close to the Haryana border, since April 17. They have been sitting here to demand the release of 3 farmers, arrested by Haryana Police.
The farmers arrested were also part of the protests of farmers. They have been demanding implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP), a legal guarantee and more such demands, and have been sitting in protest at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders since February 13 and at Dabwali border since February 21, after they were prevented from marching towards Delhi.
The latest demands of these protestors is release of the farmers and justice for one farmer who was killed during the protests on February 21. The police had resorted to tear gas shelling and firing rubber bullets at the protesting farmers. This left several farmers injured and many others also lost vision. The farmer who lost his life was identified as Shubhkaran Singh.