Rail Roko: Farmers sit on tracks in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan in protest against farm laws

Hundreds of farmers squatted on railway tracks in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan for four hours on Thursday to protest against the Centre’s farm laws, forcing railways to re-route, cancel or short-terminate at least 25 train services.

A group of farmers, agitating against the three farm laws enacted by the Modi government, had last week announced the nationwide rail blockade to press for their demand for rollback of the agricultural reforms.

In Punjab, the epicentre of the farmers’ agitation, protesters blocked the Delhi-Ludhiana-Amritsar and Jalandhar Cantt-Jammu railway track in Jalandhar. Farmers also squatted on railway tracks at Mullanpur, Dakha and Jagraon on Ludhiana-Ferozepur rail route in Ludhiana, said officials. Bathinda-Delhi rail track in Bathinda, Delhi-Amritsar track in Amritsar, Amritsar-Tarn Taran track were also blocked by protesters.

Similar protests were witnessed in Kurukshetra, Ambala, Panipat, Panchkula, Rohtak, Sonipat, Hisar and Fatehabad districts.

At some places, including those in Jind and Fatehabad districts, farmers could be seen smoking 'hookahs' while sitting on tracks.

In Rajasthan, officials said the Rewari-Sri Ganganagar special train was the only train cancelled due to the agitation, while few others were delayed.

A railways spokesperson said the ‘rail roko’ agitation had “minimal impact” on the running of trains across the country.

“Few trains were stopped in some areas of Railway zones but now train operation is normal and trains are being operated smoothly. While dealing with the Rail roko agitation, utmost patience was exercised by all concerned,” a railways spokesperson said.

Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and parts of western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting against the farm laws since November 26 on the borders of the national capital and 11 rounds of talks with the government have borne no result.

Farmers have been insisting on the repeal of the three farm laws and the government had ruled out such a possibility but offered to amend the laws to accommodate their apprehensions.