Farmers Movement Archive

As Punjab farmers extend rail roko till Sept 29, railways to decide on trains this evening

The farmer outfit spearheading the rail blockade in Punjab to protest the passage of the farm bills has not only extended its agitation till September 29 but also brought the state’s Doaba region in its ambit. “We have extended the rail roko till September 29 and will decide on the future course during our meeting on Monday,” Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee president Satnam Singh Pannu said on Saturday. Buoyed by the response in the state’s Majha and Malwa belts, the rail blockade is being rolled out in the Doaba belt, he said. Activists will sit on rail tracks in Jalandhar, Batala, Tanda and Mukerian junctions to register their protest. Scores of committee supporters are camping at Basti Tanka Wala in Ferozepur under Pannu’s leadership since Thursday. Activists have put up tents at the protest site near Ferozepur cantonment station. The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) also announced to start protests by blocking tracks in Bathinda on Saturday. Union spokesperson Jasveer Singh said the dharna is on at Goniana, Bhai Bakhtaur, Sagat and Rampura Phul in the district. RAILWAYS TO ASSESS SITUATION The Ferozepur railway division, which cancelled 28 passenger trains in Punjab in view of the farmers’ three-day rail roko protest from September 24 to 26, will take a call on resuming services on Saturday evening. Ferozepur divisional railway manager (DRM) Rajesh Agarwal said a decision will be taken after assessing the situation. “So far, there is no report of damage to any railway property by the protesters. Any loss of business revenue can be assessed only after the railways resume services,” he said.

Hindustan Times

26-09-2020

Chandigarh