Farmers Movement Archive

Rail Roko hits train traffic at several places in Rajasthan

Rail traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai route passing through Kota railway division in Rajasthan was halted since 12 pm on Thursday as agitating farmers demanding the repeal of three farm laws blocked the track in Gamach region of Bundi district during a countrywide rail roko programme.There were also reports of trains being stopped and farmers’ demonstrations at railway tracks and on platforms in different parts of Rajasthan.Farmers led by Naresh Meena also blocked a railway crossing at Jagatpura in Jaipur while several farmers and other allied organisations demonstrated at Gandhi Nagar and Durgapura railway stations in Jaipur.On the call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), farmers led by Dulichand Borda, Mahendra Neh and others demonstrated against the three contentious farm laws of the Delhi-Mumbai railway track in Gamach region of Bundi from noon. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel were deployed along the railway track to maintain law and order.Railway authorities in Kota railway division also halted traffic on Delhi-Mumbai railway track owing to the farmers’ protest.When asked about the disruption in railway traffic on Delhi-Mumbai railway track from Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Kota Railway Division, Ajay Kumar Pal, said, "Railway traffic has been halted as precautionary measures on intelligence input to prevent any untoward incident".He said while three passenger trains were stopped at Kota railway station, one train was halted at Dadhdevi in Kota, one train at Sawai Madhopur and nearly 10 goods trains in Kota."Adequate security personnel of the RPF have been deployed to prevent any untoward incident", he said.Asked about when the railway traffic would resume, he said that resumption of railway traffic would depend on intelligence input about the agitation.Farmers insisted that their agitation was peaceful.“We are carrying out peaceful agitation at railway tracks and will not damage railway property,” Dulichand Borda said.Farmers’ unions also stopped an intercity express train at Sawai Madhopur and protested at Durgapura and Gandhi Nagar railway stations in Jaipur.In Gandhi Nagar farmers got into an argument after climbing atop a goods train and in Durgapura they tried to stop a train.In Bharatpur, farmers staged a protest inside the railway station, accusing the central government of exploiting them.There was heavy deployment of police on rail routes and stations. At many places, police prevented farmers from going to railway tracks.Farmer leader Manudev Sinsini said the agitation will continue till the central government agrees to withdraw the farm laws.(With inputs from Suresh Foujdar in Bharatpur)

Hindustan Times

18-02-2021

India