Rail authorities said 14 pairs of special trains will remain suspended from September 24 to 26. The decision was made with the safety of passengers and the protection of rail property in mind from damage, authorities said.
The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee sits on the train tracks in Amritsar as they begin their ‘rail roko’ agitation today … https://t.co/Hw5K2UqVGP
– TOIChandigarh (@TOIChandigarh) 1600928914000
Among the trains to be suspended are Golden Temple Mail (Amritsar-Mumbai Central), Jan Shatabdi Express (Haridwar-Amritsar), New Delhi-Jammu Tawi, Karambhoomi (Amritsar-New Jalpaiguri), Sachkhand Express (Nanded-Amritsar) and Shaheed . Express (Amritsar-Jaynagar), authorities said.
Currently, routine passenger train service remains suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The call for ‘rail roko’ agitation was made by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and later, different farmer groups also extended their support.
Activists from the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) occupied the train tracks in Barnala and Sangrur on Thursday morning.
Farmers under the banner of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee have decided to occupy the train tracks near the village of Devidaspur in Amritsar and Basti Tanka wala in Ferozepur.
The committee’s representatives said they were receiving support from various sections, including government employees and workers.
Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Chairman Satnam Singh Pannu said they have appealed to representatives of political parties, ministers, parliamentarians and the MLA not to participate in the farmers’ agitation.
They promised to mislead BJP leaders and socially boycott those who voted in favor of the farm laws.
Up to 31 farmers’ organizations have called for the complete closure of Punjab on September 25 to protest against the bills.
Punjab farmers have expressed fear that the bills will pave the way for dismantling the minimum support price system, leaving them at the mercy of big business.
Rajya Sabha passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020, the Agricultural Agricultural Products Trade and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020, and the Farmers Agricultural Prices and Services Guarantee Agreement (Empowerment and protection) of 2020.
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