Protesting India farmers halt train operations

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – Indian farmers on Thursday stopped train operations in several cities by sitting on railroad tracks, as they continued to protest against new agricultural laws introduced last year.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a body representing farmer unions, had announced a four-hour (12-4 p.m. local time) blockade of trains at a number of locations.

Train movements were reported to have been halted in different parts of Punjab, Haryana, Utter Pradesh, and Maharashtra states.

Security was stepped up at railway stations and tracks, and no untoward incident was reported. "We deployed extra security today and the situation was monitored closely," a senior railway official told Anadolu Agency.

"The protest ended peacefully," Sukhdev Singh Kokri, a farmer leader, told Anadolu Agency. "The agitation will continue."

Last September, New Delhi passed three new laws meant to liberalize the agriculture sector. Farmers, however, believe they will be exploited and their livelihoods will be threatened.

Tens of thousands of farmers are encamped on highways outside the capital New Delhi since November.

Several rounds of talks have failed. The government has offered to put the laws on hold for 18 months, but farmers insist on a full repeal.

On Jan. 26, India’s Republic Day, a planned tractor parade turned violent when the protesters deviated from a set route and managed to enter the historic Red Fort after clashes with the police.

The movement, one of the biggest challenges Prime Minister Narendra Modi has faced since coming to power in 2014, has drawn both domestic and international support.