Chandigarh, October 18
Acting on the call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) for a six-hour nationwide ‘rail roko’ protest, all railway tracks in Punjab and Haryana were blocked on Monday by farmers, thus affecting the rail services.
The farmers are protesting in support of their demand to remove Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Misra from the Cabinet following the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which his son Ashish Misra is the main accused.
Train services were affected in both the states due to the protest. However, there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the states.
The farmers’ unions have also been demanding scrapping of three Central farm laws.
The SKM had announced a six-hour nationwide ‘rail roko’ protest from 10 am to 4 pm.
In Ferozepur town, the rail track blockade came into effect one hour before time.
Heavy police presence was seen at various places in Haryana and Punjab to maintain law and other in view of the protest by farmers.
Hundreds of people had a harrowing time as trains did not ply due to the strike.
Passengers were left stranded at railway stations in various towns and cities as trains were stranded. People were forced to travel in other public transports.
“It is apparent that with Ajay Misra being the MoS for Home Affairs in the Union Government, justice cannot be secured in this matter,” the SKM said in a statement on Sunday. IANS
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*Karnal: Farmers block Delhi-Amritsar rail track in Karnal. A large number of police personnel are also there.
Protesters sit on rail tracks in Punjab, Haryana; commuters hit
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