Farmers Movement Archive

Rail Roko: Uttarakhand farmers stage protests in Haridwar and US Nagar

Participating in the nationwide Rail Roko agitation, farmers in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar and US Nagar districts staged protests on Thursday, demanding the withdrawal of three farm laws enacted by the Centre. However, there was no disruption of rail services.Farmer unions had given a call for a four-hour Rail Roko agitation across the country on Thursday as a part of their campaign against the three farm laws.In Haridwar district, farmers staged an hour-long protest at Roorkee railway track, demanding the rollback of these newly enacted laws. After the arrival of district administration officials, the protesting farmers agreed to stop the agitation and submitted a memorandum to the sub- divisional magistrate. Under the aegis of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Uttarakhand Kisan Morcha, Kisan Kamgar Morcha and Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Union, the farmers staged a protest at the Roorkee railway station.No other incident of farmers stopping trains on railway tracks was reported from the district. Trains operated normally with only one train --- the Haridwar-Bandra train arriving fifty minutes late, railway officials said.The police tried to stop the farmers from reaching the railway tracks at platform number 1 but after heated arguments, the farmers went ahead and staged a sit-in protest on the tracks.Bharatiya Kisan Union Garhwal division president Sanjay Chaudhary while addressing the farmers said that until the Centre rolls back the three farm laws passed in September 2020, they would not give up their agitation.Haridwar Railway Station superintendent MK Singh said that arrival and departure of trains was normal on the Haridwar-Laksar-Roorkee line barring the late arrival of the 9020 Haridwar-Bandra Express.According to Superintendent of Haridwar Rural Police, Padmendra Dobhal,, the farmers staged a protest for an hour and then handed over a memorandum to SDM Pooran Singh following which they ended their protestIn US Nagar district, farmers staged a protest on the railway track in Bazpur area. Many farmers also protested near a road toll plaza on Kichha road for five hours to express solidarity with Kisan Sanyukat Morcha’s call.Tajendra Singh Virk, president Terai Kisan Sangthan said, “Farmers protested for the withdrawal of the three farm laws. We want to open the eyes of the Modi government.”“Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait and other farmer leaders will address a Mahapanchayat to be held here on March 1. We will gather more than 30,000 farmers across US Nagar district for the Mahapanchayat,” said Virk.There was no disruption of train services in the district as they were suspended in the region due to the Covid-19 outbreak.In Almora, the Uttarakhand Kisan Sabha held a public meeting at Gandhi Park in support of the Rail Roko agitation and demanded withdrawal of the new farmer laws.In Nainital, an alert was sounded by the authorities. However, there was no incident of train stopping in the district.Randeep Kumar, in-charge Kathgodam Railway Police Force (RPF) said, “An alert was sounded for the Rail Roko agitation. Accordingly, we deployed 23 personnel at 15 gates. Also, leave of RPF personnel was cancelled,” he said.“There was no protest here under Rail Roko. Nevertheless, as a precaution, the GRP force had also been deployed along with the RPF,” he added.

Hindustan Times

18-02-2021

India