Rail services were hit at several places in Punjab with farmers' outfits starting their two-day ‘Rail Roko’ agitation from Wednesday in protest against SAD-BJP Government's "anti-farmer" policies.
Thousands of passengers in Punjab were hit hard as a few trains were stopped by protesting farmers.
As many as six trains have been stopped by protesting farmers at different places in Punjab, causing inconvenience to passengers, railway officials said on Wednesday.
The trains include Amarpali Express (15707), Delhi Sarai-Ferozpur Cant intercity (14625), Rewari-Fazilka passenger train (54784) at different rail tracks such as ludhiana-Ferozepur, lohian-Phillaur, Bathinda-Ferozepur, said the railway official.
Farmers in large numbers squatted on railway tracks to stop train movement.
In the wake of the agitation, the railway authorities have deployed senior staff in Jalandhar, Ferozepur, ludhiana, Amritsar and Fazilka for faster implementation of decision such as train diversion to minimise the impact of agitation.
“I again appeal to farmers not to stop trains as it causes inconvenience to the passengers,” said Ferozepur Divisional Railway Manager Anuj Prakash.
Eight farmers' organisations, including BKU Ekta (Dakunda), BKU Ekta (Ugrahan), BKU (Krantikari), Kirti Kisan Union, are participating in Rail Roko agitation on Wednesday and Thursday.
Farmers had planned to disrupt rail services at about 12 places, including Rampura in Bathinda, Mansa, Sunam in Sangrur, Moga, Beas, Phillaur in Jalandhar, Fazilka, Ferozepur and Patiala.
They have been demanding `40,000 per acre compensation for farmers whose crop got damaged by white-fly attack, `20,000 per family compensation for farm labour, `4,500 per quintal rate for basmati PUSA 1509 variety, and `5,000 per quintal for basmati PUSA 1121 variety.
They have also been demanding higher compensation for cotton growers and remunerative rates for basmati crop.
Besides, they are seeking payments of sugarcane dues by private mills, debt relief and `5lakh financial assistance to the family of farmers who commit suicide.
The railway department had asked the Punjab Government to prevent protesting farmers from disrupting rail services, saying that passengers would have to face harrowing time.
Railway officials said that a few trains had already been diverted on some routes in view of the agitation. Passengers on these trains had to face delays as farmers squatted on the railway tracks.
The agitation by farmers will continue on Thursday.
Farmer unions playing politics over farmers’ issues: Sukhbir
ludhiana: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal said that it is sad that some farmer unions are playing petty politics over issues related to the farmers of the state and are misguiding the masses over this sensitive issue.
Sukhbir, on the issue of purchase of fake pesticides, said that the Punjab government has already ordered a high level probe in this regard and that the guilty would not be spared.
SAD president, while speaking to media persons after attending barsi samagam of late Tejinderpal Singh Makkar, son of Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Jathedar Avtar Singh, said that it is painful that some farmer unions are politicising the issues related to farmers for petty gains, and Rail Roko call given by these unions is an example of that.
He said that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is most worried about the plight of farmers and always works for their betterment.
Though the extent of loss in Punjab is less as compared to Haryana and Rajasthan, Punjab has paid maximum compensation to the farmers,” he pointed.
A high level team headed by ADGP level officer is already investigating this matter and any person found guilty would not be spared, he added.