Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has announced that activists from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha will block railway tracks from 12 noon to 3 pm today. This Rail Roko movement will be held in support of the ongoing farmers' protest at Shambhu border and Khanouri border in Punjab.
Farmers will sit on the track from 12 pm to 3 pm at a total of 48 places. Farmers will block tracks in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur districts. This movement was announced by farmer leader Saravan Pandher on 14th December. The movement aims to pressure the government to accept farmers’ demands.
At the same time, the United Kisan Front (SKM) has called an emergency meeting today over the struggle of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is fasting at the Khanouri border. This meeting will be held at 2 pm at Kisan Bhawan in Chandigarh.
Following this, there is a program to meet the governor at 7 pm. Although the meeting was earlier scheduled to be held on 24th December, but due to the deteriorating health of farmer leader Jagjit Dallewal, the meeting has been preponed.
The High-Power Committee has called the farmers for a meeting in Panchkula today, but the farmers have written a letter to the committee and denied to come to the meeting. They said that they will directly meet the central government.
Farmer leader Jagjit Dallewal has urged the protesting farmers to avoid isolated railway tracks and gather at railway stations in their villages, towns, and cities for the Rail Roko movement.
Pandher has also expressed gratitude to farmers nationwide for participating in tractor marches supporting Dallewal and other protesting farmers at Shambhu and Khanauri borders for more than 300 days. He has also thanked Punjabi singers for backing the farmers’ cause and urged the government to address various issues as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the Progressive Students Association (PSA) has also announced its intention to burn the statues of the government at multiple locations in order to support the protesting farmers.
Since the beginning of the protest started on 13th February, a total of 33 farmers have lost their lives at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders.
Shubhkaran Singh was tragically shot during a protest in February. Additionally, more than 500 farmers had got injured in separate incidents when security personnel tried to obstruct their march towards Delhi.
Recently, three attempts that were made by Marjeevda Jathas to march towards Delhi on December 6, 8, and 14 were obstructed by the Haryana Police and paramilitary personnel. Due to this, a total of 50 farmers got injured.
Farmers are demanding a legal guarantee on MSP, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, as well as pension for farmers and farm laborers, debt waiver, a halt to any increase in electricity tariff, the withdrawal of police cases, and justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.