When around two months back farmers began indefinite blocking of railways in protest against central agricultural laws it was breakdown of law and order and a fit case for imposition of President’s Rule. Central Government did not act. Farmers said they will allow goods trains, will not allow passenger trains. Railway Ministry said either both passenger and goods trains will run, or both will not run. Farmers can not pick and choose. The blockade continued and resulted in shortages of many essential things. Power plants had to shut down. Industry suffered. On 21/11/2020 farmers announced on Punjab CM Amarinder Singh’s appeal they are suspending their blockade for 15 days beginning Monday evening 23/11/2020. If the government does not yield to their demands, they will restart the blockade.
It is reported that Railways will start goods trains on 23/11/2020. There is no news about passenger trains. This is wrong. Railways should tell farmers suspension of blockade should be permanent. They do not get to choose to allow and block trains according to their whims and fancies. They should pay for the loss they caused to Railways.
Such should be the case with all protestors who block trains and other traffic. Some years back in Rajasthan, Gujjars sat on tracks and blocked trains for many days. A retired Lieutenant Colonel led that protest. It is a case of fence eating crop. No effort was made to evict them. Similar things have happened in other places. In Haryana, Jats stopped traffic and engaged in loot, arson, vandalism and rape. Criminals were not punished. Law did not take its course.
Punjab farmers have said they will lay siege to Delhi on 26-27 November. Allowing passenger trains is to travel to Delhi to lay siege.
Politicians play politics. Amarinder Singh is a retired Captain of Indian Army. He sided with protestors. It seems many army men lose respect for rule of law when they retire.