Farmers' Protest: 'Rail roko' agitation today | 10 things to know

The 'rail roko' protest is scheduled for 12 pm to 4 pm today, and will likely disrupt train schedules.

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Saturday urged the Centre not to run away from its responsibility of giving legal guarantee for MSP on all crops, even as farmers prepare to participate in the proposed 'rail roko' protest on March 10 to press for their demands.

The 'rail roko' protest is scheduled for 12 pm to 4 pm today, which will likely disrupt train schedules. Here are 10 things to know about the agitation:

1. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have called for a 'rail roko' protest on Sunday in support of their various demands.

2. Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher told reporters that the protesting farmers will squat on railway tracks at several places in Punjab, including Ferozepur, Amritsar, Rupnagar, Gurdaspur districts.

3. The Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), Bharti Kisan Union (Dakaunda-Dhaner) and the Krantikari Kisan Union -- farmers' bodies that are part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha -- will also participate in the 'rail roko' agitation.

4. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha is not part of the 'Delhi Chalo' call but has extended its support to the protesting farmers camping at the Shambhu and the Khanauri border points.

5. Women farmer leaders Sukhwinder Kaur, Samita Kaur Mangat and Gurpreet Kaur said on International Women's Day that thousands of women farmers from Punjab and Haryana participated at the protest sites. They thanked the women for coming to the protest sites and extending support to the ongoing protest.

6. The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after their 'Delhi Chalo' march was stopped by the security forces.

7. Citing reports, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) leader Dallewal rejected the Centre's plan to undertake guaranteed procurement of pulses (tur, urad and masoor), maize and cotton at a Minimum Support Price (MSP).

8. Earlier, farmer leaders had rejected the BJP-led Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of the farmers.

9. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march to press the government to accept the farmers' demands.

10. The demands include pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act - 2013, and compensation to families of farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

(With PTI inputs)