PC: dnaindia
A large number of farmers sat on railway tracks in parts of Punjab on Friday, while another group of farmers sat on railway tracks in parts of Punjab as part of their agitation demanding a financial package for flood losses, legal guarantee of MSP, and a blanket loan waiver. Blocked the Chandigarh-Ambala National Highway.
As part of the three-day 'Rail Roko' protest, farmers sat on the Amritsar-Delhi railway track at Devidas Pura, while in Hoshiarpur, members of Azad Kisan Samiti, Doaba sat on strike at the local railway station.
According to railway officials, some trains have been canceled and routes of many trains have been diverted. In view of the agitation, some trains are being short-terminated.
The agitation is going on at 17 places in Punjab, including Moga, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Tarn Taran, Sangrur, Patiala, Ferozepur, Bathinda and Amritsar.
A group of farmers owing allegiance to BKU (Sidhupur) also sat on the Chandigarh-Ambala National Highway near Lalru in Punjab. Farmers have also parked their tractors on the side of the highway.
A Punjab Police official said both sides of the highway have been blocked and traffic has been diverted to alternative routes.
State President of Azad Kisan Committee Doaba, Harpal Singh Sangha said that their agitation will continue till September 30.
He said that if the demands are not met by that time, further strategy will be decided. Due to this disturbance, many railway passengers are stranded in Punjab and Haryana.
An elderly passenger at Ludhiana railway station who was on his way to Patna said, "The matter is between the Center and the farmers. Why should passengers face harassment? Since yesterday we have been waiting at the railway station, but there is no certainty that When will our train arrive?"
On Thursday night, hundreds of rail passengers traveling to various destinations including Delhi, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh were stranded at Ambala Cantonment railway station in Haryana as rail traffic in neighboring Punjab was affected due to the protests.
Several farmer groups including Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti, Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari), BKU (Ekta Azad), Azad Kisan Samiti Doaba, BKU (Behramke), BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh) and BKU (Chhotu Ram) are participating.
Their demands include a financial package for flood-affected people in North India, a legal guarantee of minimum support price on all crops, and a loan waiver for farmers.
Farmer leader Gurbachan Singh had said in Amritsar on Thursday that farmers want a Rs 50,000 crore flood relief package and MSP for north Indian states as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report.
He demanded a complete waiver of loans of farmers and labourers, Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of each farmer who died during the agitation against the three agricultural laws, and a government job.
