Farmers announce 'Rail roko' protest in Punjab on December 18
Farmers in Punjab have called for a "Rail Roko" protest on December 18 after their failed attempts to enter Delhi. The police had stopped the farmers' march into the national capital thrice—on December 6, 8, and 14. During the last attempt, law enforcement agencies used tear gas and water cannons, injuring 17 farmers.
Farmer leader calls for widespread participation in protest
Despite these failures, the farmers are still camped at the Punjab-Haryana border, refusing to budge from their protest. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has called upon residents of all 13,000 villages in Punjab to join the "Rail Roko" agitation. He appealed to them at a press conference at the Shambhu border in Patiala, requesting them to block railway tracks from noon till 3:00pm on December 18.
Farmer leader invites SKM to join 'Rail Roko' protest
Pandher has also invited the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a leading farmers' outfit headed by Rakesh Tikait. The SKM had previously spearheaded protests against three farm laws that were subsequently repealed. In his letter, Pandher invited the SKM to join the "Rail Roko" protest, saying, "Let's unite for the welfare of farmers and laborers."
'Rail Roko' protest expected to disrupt major railway routes
The proposed "Rail Roko" protest is expected to severely disrupt important railway routes in Punjab. In October, as many as 17 trains were adversely affected in the Ferozpur division of Punjab after farmers' organizations held a two-hour-long Rail Roko protest to mark the third anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the 2021 incident during a demonstration against the now-repealed three farm laws.
