Rlys steps up security ahead of farmers’ blockade
THE RPF HAS DEPLOYED 20 ADDITIONAL COMPANIES ACROSS PUNJAB, HARYANA, U.P. AND WEST BENGAL AHEAD OF THE BLOCKADE
Ahead of a fourhour rail blockade called by farmers from 12 noon to 4pm across the country on Thursday, Indian Railways has tightened security and reinforced protection for railway property and passengers across four states, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, according to officials aware of the matter.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has deployed 20 additional companies, or 2,000 personnel, across the four states ahead of the blockade on Thursday.
“Railways has appealed for peace. We will have additional security focus in Punjab, Haryana, UP and Bengal. Twenty additional companies of RPF have been deployed. We appeal to everyone to maintain peace, calling for peaceful protests, so as not to inconvenience passengers,” a railway ministry spokesperson said.
Farmers’ groups demanding the repeal of three laws enacted by the Centre in September have called the “Rail Roko” on Thursday in a bid to intensify their agitation against the legislation. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella group of farmers’ unions spearheading the campaign, has called the blockade.
Farmers’ unions claim the laws would weaken their bargaining power, put them at the mercy of powerful agribusinesses and could lead to the dismantling of government-run mandis, or agricultural markets, and the system of minimum support prices for farm produce.
Farmers in Punjab called for rail blockades across the state in September in protest of the farm laws, resulting in the complete suspension of trains in the state for nearly two months. In November, amid a tussle between the Centre and the Punjab government over allowing the passage of trains in the state, Indian Railways claimed to have lost nearly ₹1,200 crore in freight revenue with more than 2,225 goods trains suspended and 1,350 passenger trains cancelled and diverted.
The railway ministry also informed Parliament last week that it suffered losses of ₹1,462.45 crore in FY 2020-21 due to “various agitations/ strikes including Dharnas at platforms and near tracks”.
Farmers have also suspended tolls across Punjab and Haryana and the Delhi-national Capital Region since December due to the ongoing protests.
HT on February 2 reported that Delhi Police had asked northern railways to terminate at least 15 Delhi-bound trains, which pass through Punjab and Haryana, at the edge of the Capital in a bid to stop farmers from entering the city on February 1. Northern Railways said it had diverted only three trains, citing “operational reasons”.
Delhi Police told Northern Railways on January 31 farmers from Punjab and Haryana planned to protest in the Capital on February 1 – when the Union budget was being presented – and hoist flags on Parliament House, according to two letters written by the department.