Farmers' Rail-Roko protest at Shambu disrupts 150 Trains, Enters 16th Day

Chandigarh. The ongoing Rail-Roko protest by farmers at Shambu station in the Ambala Division has entered its 16th day, causing significant disruptions to railway operations. The protest, organized by farmers under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Samyukt Kisan Morcha, has led to the cancellation of 46 trains, short-termination of 2 trains, short-originating of 2 trains, and diversion of 100 trains from May 2 to May 5.

As the Lok Sabha election date draws nearer, political activity intensifies, while the aggrieved farmers remain steadfast in their protest. Since April 17, farmers have been occupying the tracks at Shambu railway station, near the Haryana border, resulting in the daily disruption of over 100 trains.

This ongoing disruption has not only caused significant losses to the railways but has also inconvenienced the public, particularly those who had pre-booked their travel plans.

With the implementation of the model code of conduct, neither the state nor the Centre can intervene at this time. The continued blockade of tracks and roads poses not only a challenge to the railways but also impacts industries, with little attention being paid to the issue by authorities in Delhi.

Sources suggest that farmer organizations are recognizing the broader impact of their protest on the public and Punjab's industries, prompting a reevaluation of their future protest strategies.

Addressing the protest, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher emphasized that the demonstration has persisted for 75 days, with the rail blockade now extending into its 16th day. Pandher issued a warning, stating that the farmers will not relent until their demands are met, emphasizing their calls for a legal guarantee of minimum support prices (MSP) for agricultural produce, justice for Shubhkaran Singh, who died during previous protests, and the release of arrested farmers.