Farmers protesting against farm laws will hold 'rail roko' on February 18: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait

New Delhi: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday announced that the farmer groups protesting against the Centre’s new farm laws will be holding a ‘rail roko’ (railway blockade) across the country on Thursday (February 18, 2021).

The protest will be staged from 12 PM to 4 PM. The BKU leader, who has been spearheading the farmers’ agitation, said the people from their villages will also take part in the protest. He added that adequate arrangements have been made for the children travelling by the trains.

The ‘rail roko’ has been announced by the Samkyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmers` unions. Accusing the Centre, Tikait said the government has not been permitting many trains to ply for the last eight months despite the fact that many other curbs were removed after people faced difficulties.

Several trains cancelled/ diverted

In view of the ''rail roko'' announced by the farmers, the Northern Railway said that the Darbhanga-Amritsar Express special train, which was to start on Wednesday, will remain cancelled.

The Mumbai Central-Amritsar, Bandra Terminus-Amritsar, Jaynagar-Amritsar Express Special trains on February 17 will be diverted to run via Beas-Tarn Taran-Amritsar. The New Jalpaiguri-Amritsar and Amritsar-Haridwar Express Special will be also diverted to run via Beas-Tarn Taran-Amritsar on February 17.

"We will gather intelligence. States such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, and some other areas will be our focus. We have deployed 20 companies (around 20,000 personnel) of the Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) in these areas," Director General, Railway Protection Force, Arun Kumar said.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at the three Delhi border points - Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur since November 26 against new farm laws. Several rounds of talks have been held with farmers over their demand for the repeal of three new laws.