Ruchika M. Khanna
Tribune news service
Chandigarh, November 18
“First allow freight trains to operate in Punjab, which will signal the lifting of the state’s economic blockade. Only then will we consider allowing passenger trains to operate in the state. “
This was the main decision made by the 30 farmers unions who met here on Wednesday, to discuss the further course of action in the ongoing farmer agitation. After deliberating for more than five hours, the unions said the Center must show its good intentions by allowing freight trains to operate.
Union leaders said they were under pressure from industry and the state government to stop the turmoil on railroad ownership (farmers are no longer on rail tracks or platforms, instead protesting in rail parking lots and other land), as that the Union The Ministry of Railways and the Railroad Board have refused to revoke the suspension of trains. “We would like to tell industrialists that we are fighting for a just cause, which is directly linked to the state’s economy. The Center is responsible for keeping train services suspended … not us, ”said Rajinder Singh Deepsinghwala of Krantikari Kisan Union, adding that the unrest would continue.
During today’s marathon meeting, last week’s meeting with the central ministers in Delhi was also discussed. All unions are known to have unanimously rejected the suggestion that the three farm laws would benefit farmers. They criticized the Center for not allowing them the rally site in Delhi because of the unrest on November 26-27, and promised to make the unrest a great success.
Ruldu Singh Mansa, president of Punjab Kisan Union, who chaired today’s meeting, said they also discussed the routes farmers will take to reach Delhi as efforts will be made to stop their march to the capital. “All district committees will meet on November 21 to define their plan,” he said.
‘Disappointed’
Punjab’s Chief Minister Amarinder Singh expressed disappointment at the “outright refusal” of the farmers’ unions to completely lift their rail blockade, saying it has practically paralyzed the state for the past month and a half.
In a statement, he called the decision of the farmers’ unions “extremely unfortunate” and said that their blockade of passenger trains also obstructed the movement of freight trains.
He said he had expected them to back down from their “inflexible” approach in the interests of Punjab, particularly in view of the state government’s outright support for their cause.
“They should realize that things could not continue like this ad infinitum, and if rail transport continues to be suspended for longer, the state would sink into an irreversible crisis,” he said.
He added that no government could afford such a situation.
The industry has already suffered losses to the tune of Rs 30 billion so far, he said.
The Ludhiana and Jalandhar industries have suffered losses of Rs 22 billion. More than 13,500 containers are in the Dhandari dry port, from where they cannot be shipped to other parts of the country.
In the agricultural sector, 60,000 jute bags are stuck in Delhi and Rajpura, affecting the uplift of rice from grain markets, CM said.
He said the suspension of rail services has also prevented the supply of 40 lakh of parboiled rice from Punjab to Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh for the public distribution system, prompting the central government to collect cereals from Telangana and Andhra. Pradesh. — PTI
