New Delhi: The protesting farmers will hold a nationwide “rail roko” stir today from 12 noon to 4 pm as a protest against the Centre’s new agri laws. In the wake of the stir, the railways have deployed 20 additional companies of the RPSF across the country, with focus on Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal to control the chaos. The rail blockade was announced by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions that is spearheading the protest, last week to press for its demand to repeal the legislations.
“I appeal to everyone to maintain peace. We will be liaisoning with district administrations and will have a control room in place,” Director General, Railway Protection Force, Arun Kumar, urged protesters on Wednesday. “We will gather intelligence. States such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, and some other areas will be our focus. We have deployed 20 companies of the Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) in these areas,” he said. The officials in the northern railways are expecting that ‘rail roko’ agitations to be concentrated in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, no decision has yet been taken on train movement in the backdrop of the rail blockade. However, a plan will be put in place once the officials get a better picture of the status of the protests and have identified sensitive spots, an official informed PTI.
The announcement of the rail roko movement came amid the ongoing protests against the laws at Delhi’s borders by farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, and ‘mahapanchayats’ that are being organised in these states to garner support for the movement.
Farmers are protesting against the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.