Farmers protest in Punjab enters second day, train movement hit

Chandigarh/Hoshiarpur: Train services were disrupted in Punjab for the second day on Friday as farmers in large numbers squatted on tracks as part of their 'rail roko' agitation to demand a financial package for losses incurred in recent floods, a legal guarantee to MSP, and a sweeping debt waiver.

According to railway officials, while some trains were cancelled, routes of several trains have been diverted. Some trains are being short terminated due to the three-day stir.

Protesters have said they will carry out their agitation against the Centre till September 30.   The stir is underway at 17 places in Punjab, including in Moga, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran, Sangrur, Patiala, Ferozepur, Bathinda, and Amritsar.

In Amritsar, farmers squatted on the Amritsar-Delhi railway track in Devidas Pura, while in Hoshiarpur, members of the Azad Kisan Committee, Doaba, sat on dharna at the local railway station.

State President of the Azad Kisan Committee, Doaba, Harpal Singh Sangha, said their agitation will continue till September 30.

If the demands are not met by that time, the next course of action will be decided, he said.

The stir has left many rail passengers stranded in Punjab and Haryana.

"The matter is between the Centre and the farmers. Why should passengers face harassment. Since yesterday, we have been waiting at the railway station, but there is no surety when our train will come," said an elderly passenger at the Ludhiana railway station who was travelling to Patna.

On Thursday night, hundreds of railway passengers travelling to various destinations, including Delhi, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, were stranded at the Ambala Cantonment Railway Station in Haryana as rail movement was hit in neighbouring Punjab due to the protest. Several farmer groups, including the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari), BKU (Ekta Azaad), Azaad Kisan Committee Doaba, BKU (Behramke), BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh), and BKU (Chottu Ram), are participating in the protest.

Their demands include a financial package for the flood-affected people in north India, a legal guarantee for minimum support price on all crops, and a debt waiver for farmers.

Farmers want a Rs 50,000-crore flood relief package for north Indian states and MSP as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, farmer leader Gurbachan Singh had said in Amritsar on Thursday.

He demanded waiver of the entire debt of farmers and labourers, and Rs 10 lakh and a government job in compensation to the kin of each farmer who died during the agitation against the now-repealed three farm laws.