Farmers To Halt Trains In Punjab Over MSP Demands

Protesting farmers in Punjab are set to disrupt rail services on Wednesday as part of their ongoing efforts to demand a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops and other agricultural reforms. This move comes after several failed attempts to enter Haryana in support of their long-standing demands.

Haryana Police recently stopped a group of 100 farmers’ representatives who were on their way to New Delhi to push for their demands.  The authorities used teargas and water cannons to block their path. Now, the farmers have planned a ‘Rail Roko’ protest in Punjab, aiming to halt train services from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. This protest expect to disrupt services significantly, inconvenience passengers, and escalate tensions in the region.

Farmer Leader Urges Local Protests

Sarwan Singh Pandher, a key farmer leader, announced the protest and urged fellow activists from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha to focus on blocking rail traffic in their local areas. He advised farmers to avoid isolated tracks and gather at stations in their respective towns, cities, and villages.

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Meanwhile, Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav, and Union Ministry of Home Affairs Director, Mayank Mishra, visited farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on a hunger strike for 23 days. Dallewal, 70, a cancer patient, began his fast on November 26 in Khanauri, located at the border between Punjab and Haryana. He is demanding loan waivers and reforms to improve conditions for farmers.

During the meeting, Yadav confirmed that the government had taken note of Dallewal’s condition and assured medical assistance. However, despite these assurances, Dallewal remains steadfast and continues his fast until his demands are met. Doctors have advised immediate hospitalization due to his deteriorating health.

Government’s Response To The Protest

Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana has called on Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to follow Haryana’s lead in resolving the farmers’ issues. Rana pointed out that Haryana had successfully implemented MSP on all crops and urged the Punjab government to adopt similar measures for the benefit of its farmers. He further emphasized that Punjab and Haryana, being major food grain producers for the central pool, should ensure that all farmers receive MSP for their produce, as in Haryana.

Rana also noted that the Supreme Court had already appointed a committee to address these issues, but farmer leaders had not attended the meetings with the committee, hindering progress.

As the situation remains tense, farmers further continue to press for their demands, highlighting the urgent need for reforms in the agricultural sector. The outcome of Wednesday’s protest and the government’s response will likely determine the next steps in this ongoing struggle.