Farmers Movement Archive

Won’t allow passenger trains to run, reiterate farmers protesting in Punjab

Thirty farm unions protesting against the three new agriculture laws reiterated on Sunday that they would not allow movement of passenger trains in Punjab, while accusing the central government of playing politics by not running freight trains even as the agitators have vacated railway tracks across all districts.Meanwhile, reiterating his assurance of smooth and safe movement of goods trains in the state, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday said he had spoken to Union home minister Amit Shah for his intervention to ensure restoration of rail services and was hopeful of an early resolution of the issue.Jagjit Singh Dallewal, state president of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur) — a key constituent of the joint forum of farmers, said only freight trains will be allowed to move in the state.“Farmers have been protesting for over a month, but the central government has not resolved our issues. We are dead against the movement of passenger trains. Protesters have vacated tracks and platforms, but we will not move out of the railway properties till our demands are met,” said Dallewal.Dallewal said Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, an umbrella body of 110 farm organisations of the country, held a meeting in Delhi on Saturday, where it was decided to hold a massive demonstration on November 26 and 27.Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Balbir Singh Rajewal and Dallewal are part of the seven-member national panel formed to coordinate the Delhi agitation.Ploy to quell our movement: RajewalRajewal said stopping the freight train services was a ploy of the Union government to quell the farmers’ movement. He said the proposal to clear the tracks for freight trains was approved keeping in view the interests of the state, traders, industrialists and exporters.“We had left the tracks on October 21 too. For two days, the freight trains were operating. No incident of violence was reported and the traffic was not disrupted. But suddenly, the Railways slammed brakes on goods trains, which clearly shows the hidden agenda of the Centre,” he said.Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, which on Saturday vacated the Amritsar-Delhi railway tracks and moved their dharna outside the Jandiala railway station, said Centre was trying to ruin Punjab’s economy. “The intention of the central government is to create financial crisis in the state for its political benefit. Our farmers are also facing a shortage of fertilisers,” committee’s senior vice-president Sawinder Singh Chutala said. Ruldu Singh of Punjab Kisan Union said they have received no invitation of talks from any government agency.“A joint meeting has been called in Chandigarh on November 18, where the future course of agitation will be decided. Till then, agitations will continue near railway stations in different districts,” he said.Meanwhile, additional divisional railway manager, Ferozepur, Balbir Singh said there has been no decision on resuming trains in Punjab.DSGMC offers full support to Delhi event For the farmers’ national-level demonstration planned at the Ramlila Ground in Delhi on November 26-27, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has assured full support. “DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa informed me that he would give all support, including food and lodging, to the farmers while they are in Delhi for the two-day protest,” Jagmohan Singh Patiala of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Dakounda) said.

Hindustan Times

08-11-2020

City