New Delhi: Train services were disrupted at 30 places as farmers sat on railway tracks in Haryana, Bihar and Karnataka, demanding arrest and resignation of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Misra Teni in connection with the October 3 Lakhimur violence. As per information received from the Northern Railways, farmers were camping on the tracks at Sonipat railway station in Haryana.
Farmers also staged protests at the Lalganj railway station in Bihar and the Vijayapura railway station in Karnataka. However, trains are arriving at stations like New Delhi, Old Delhi and Ghaziabad on time, except for a few trains, which are only 15 minutes behind schedule. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions, has called a six-hour nationwide 'rail roko agitation' from 10 am to 6 pm on Monday. Farmers said a free and fair probe into the Lakhimpur violence case cannot be ensured till the Union Minister is removed from the Cabinet.
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said that if the government does not listen to their demands, agitation will be intensified in future. The 'rail roko' agitation will be peaceful and railway property will not be damaged, the SKM said in a statement.
The Morcha has also appealed to all its constituents to strictly follow the guidelines. However, police have diverted route as a precautionary measure at the Ghazipur border, where farmers are sitting in protest for almost a year against three farm laws. Traffic leading to the Ghazipur border from the Dabur building side has been diverted and is being sent via Anand Vihar, resulting in traffic snarls at various places.
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A statement issued by the umbrella body of farmers' unions on Sunday stated, "To press for its demand for Ajay Mishra's dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be rendered in Lakhimpur Kheri violence, it has announced a nation-wide rail roko on October 18."
"The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) called upon its constituents to stop rail traffic for six hours on October 18 between 10 am and 4 pm. It urged to take up the stir peacefully sans any destruction and damage of any kind to railway property," it further stated.
The statement said, "The SKM has been demanding the dismissal of Ajay Mishra Teni from the Cabinet. It is very apparent that with Ajay Mishra being the MoS for Home Affairs in the Union government, justice cannot be secured in this matter."
It alleged that he promoted hatred, enmity and communal disharmony between Hindus and Sikhs in his speeches. It is his vehicles that were used to mow down peaceful protesters. He harboured his son and aides even as the police was issuing summons to Ashish Mishra," it added.
In all, eight people, including four farmers died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The SKM had alleged Ashish Mishra shot a farmer while the others were knocked down by the vehicles of his convey. However, MoS Teni had refuted the allegations stating that his son was not present at the spot where the incident took place. Ashish reiterated the same and refuted SKM's allegations. Later, three people, including Ashish Mishra, were arrested in the case. Accused Ashish Mishra has been sent to jail by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) after being produced before the Crime Branch on October 14.
