Members of various farmer organisations blocked railway tracks during a four-hour Rail Roko demonstration across the country, called by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), as part of their agitation against Centres three contentious farm laws in India, Thursday, February 18, 2021.
In Rajasthan, protesting farmers, including women, squatted on train tracks at many places, including in Jaipur, Kota, Bundi, Churu, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Nagaur and other districts. Protesters chanting slogans against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling BJP party.
The railway blockade is third major demonstration by farmers, following the Republic Day tractor rally and the ‘chakka jam’ on February 6. Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, demanding a rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers' (Empowernment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
The protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the 'mercy' of big corporations. However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring betther opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture. (Story by Sumit Saraswat)