Farmers' 'Rail Roko' Protest: Movement Of Trains Hit For 3rd Day, Passengers Bear The Brunt

Chandigarh: The "rail roko" agitation by farmers badly hit the movement of dozens of trains and left hundreds of passengers stranded in Punjab, Haryana and Jammu on Saturday, the last day of the three-day stir of farmers demanding relief for crops damaged in recent floods, guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) and debt waiver.

According to information, the three-day stir of the farmers had disrupted the movement of dozens of passenger and goods trains in the Ambala and Ferozepur divisions of northern railways, with many being cancelled, short-terminated or diverted.

The farmers squatted on the rail tracks at more than 12 places in Punjab which included Patiala, Faridkot, Moga, Hoshiarpur, Samrala, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Sangrur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Bathinda and Amritsar since Thursday.

What are the farmers' demands?

The farmers’ main demands included a Rs 50,000-crore flood relief package for north Indian states and MSP according to the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report.

They also demand a sweeping debt waiver and Rs 10 lakh and a government job as compensation to the kin of farmers who lost their life during farmers’ protests against now-repealed three farm laws.