Farmers resort to rail roko at Punjab’s Shambhu border
Demand release of 3 protesters held by Haryana police
Several groups of farmers on Wednesday began an indefinite rail-roko protest under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) on the Delhi-Amritsar railway track at the Shambhu railway station in Punjab’s Patiala. They were demanding the release of three of their fellow protesters who had been arrested by Haryana police over a month ago.
As a result of the rail roko, 11 trains were cancelled and 25 diverted since noon. The protest also left hundreds of commuters stranded as they sought to travel to different destinations on the occasion of Ram Navami festival.
The farm leaders threatened to intensify their protest and block more railway tracks, and added that their main demand was for the immediate release of the farmers – Navdeep Jalveda, Gurkirat Singh and Anish Khatkar arrested by the Haryana police in March.
The farm leaders also demanded arrangements for electricity, water and sanitation at the border.
“The three young farmers have been in jail for the past one month. Among them, Anish Khatkar, a young farmer, has been on a hunger strike for a month and his health is deteriorating,” said leaders of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha in a statement.
The farmers alleged that the Haryana police had arrested their brethren under false charges. On February 13, 14 and 21, the Haryana police and para-security forces severely injured the farmers and were responsible for the death of one Shubhakaran. But instead of booking the errant policemen, false cases were filed against the three farmers, they claimed.
Earlier, the farmers had announced to block the Shambhu railway track on April 9 to press for their demands. But they postponed the plan following an assurance by the Punjab and Haryana administration that the youths would be released by April 16.
The administration did not release the trio, forcing the farmers to decide to block the Shambhu railway track till their demands were met. They alleged that the Punjab police had also tried to stop the farmers from moving towards the railway track, but the farmers managed to block the railway track by removing all obstacles.
Farm leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal also addressed the farmers at the protest site.
A report from Delhi said that farmers were arrested in Fatehabad, Haryana when they were protesting against Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. The police forced the farmers back.