Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced that striking farmers’ unions have decided to suspend blockades for 15 days and urged the Centre to resume rail services to the state. “Happy to share that starting November 23 night, Kisan Unions have decided to end rail blockades for 15 days. I welcome this step since it’ll restore normalcy to our economy. I urge Central Government to resume rail services to Punjab forthwith,” the CM tweeted after meeting farmers unions.
In a separate tweet, the state’s Information and Public Relations Department urged the Centre to open talks with farmers, as avoiding that might lead to a resumption of agitation. “Farmer unions have announced allowing resumption of all trains from the day after tomorrow for 15 days during which Central Govt should open talks. If talks don’t happen in 15 days, then agitation will resume,” it said.
Earlier, several trains were cancelled while some of them were short terminated in view of farmers’ agitation in the state, the Northern Railway had said in a release. Mostly, trains on the New Delhi-Katra route have been affected. Farmers in the state have been protesting against the three agriculture laws since they were passed by the Parliament.
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The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 were recently passed in both the Houses. The Railways Ministry had earlier said that it has continued to lose revenue as Freight operations remain forcibly suspended due to tracks blockages in Punjab. (ANI)
